CCA-led 4C Releases Draft Comprehensive Clean Cooking Carbon Methodology
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 1, 2024 — Today, the Clean Cooking & Climate Consortium (4C), led by the Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), released a new methodology for crediting emissions reductions from cooking projects. The Comprehensive Lowered Emission Assessment and Reporting (CLEAR) Methodology for Cooking Energy Transitions is first such methodology to apply to all cooking transition scenarios. The CLEAR methodology makes it possible for project developers to use the same rigorous and trusted methodology when quantifying carbon emission reductions from clean cooking projects. The public is invited to review and submit comments before the deadline of August 14, 2024.
4C is a group of partners supporting efforts to achieve climate goals through cooking energy interventions. In addition to CCA, 4C’s members include the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, and the Stockholm Environment Institute.
Over the last year and a half, 4C has led a sector-wide effort to develop this comprehensive clean cooking carbon methodology. More than 250 key stakeholders contributed to the process, including standards bodies, project developers, researchers, carbon buyers, and others.
“Over 2 billion people have no choice but to cook with inefficient and polluting stoves and fuels, resulting in climate-damaging emissions on the same scale as the global aviation industry,” said Dymphna van der Lans, CCA CEO. “Clean cooking is finally being recognized as a critical, fast-acting climate solution that deserves substantial investment. This methodology is a crucial element to strengthening the carbon markets that make clean cooking solutions accessible and affordable to low-income families around the world.”
“The CLEAR methodology is a valuable public good that has the potential to formalize, standardize, and expand the application of the best practices that we already see in many clean cooking carbon projects,” said John Mitchell, U.S. EPA Household Energy and Clean Air Coordinator. “It sends a very clear signal to consumers and investors that they can have full confidence in cooking carbon credits because integrity, sustainability, and rigor are inherently baked into any carbon projects that utilize this methodology.”
The CLEAR methodology is intended to become the standard for all cooking projects under Article 6.2 and Article 6.4 of the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as the Voluntary Carbon Market. It incorporates the latest science, strong measurement and monitoring approaches, and strict guardrails where direct measurement is not feasible. The methodology applies to both “metered” clean cooking projects, which continuously monitor how much fuel is being used, and “non-metered” projects. For the latter, the methodology offers multiple approaches for determining emissions reductions, including combinations of surveys, sensors, and fuel consumption monitoring.
“By using this methodology, clean cooking carbon projects will generate the most realistic emission reduction estimates to date,” said Elisa Derby, CCA Senior Director of Climate Impacts and Standards. “The CLEAR methodology is designed to incentivize best practices, increase transparency around how emissions reductions are calculated, and make it easier to verify those emissions. And since this is the first methodology for crediting emissions reductions from cooking projects to apply to all cooking transition scenarios, it eliminates the need for multiple methodologies.”
The new methodology is aligned with CCA’s recently launched Principles for Responsible Carbon Finance in Clean Cooking, which focus on integrity, transparency, fairness, and sustainability, and have been endorsed by over 160 organizations in the clean cooking ecosystem.
To submit comments on the CLEAR methodology, reviewers must submit a commenting form to CCA by August 14, 2024.
