H20 4 CO2 - Sanitap

H2O 4 CO2

The restoration of wells in Madagascar – providing clean water access and saving CO2 emissions – through innovative WASH carbon financing.

Traceable, high-quality voluntary carbon credits generated through a 10-year greenhouse gas emissions reduction programme, providing access to safe drinking water to 650,000 people.

H2O 4 CO2: Restoration of wells in Madagascar providing clean water access and saving CO2 emissions through innovative WASH carbon financing

Traceable, high-quality voluntary carbon credits generated through a 15-year greenhouse gas emissions reductions programme, by providing access to safe drinking water by 650,000 people.

This pro-poor carbon project in Madagascar removes 240,000 tCO2e annually, by restoring access to safe drinking water to 650,000 people who presently rely on contaminated water from rivers. This is done by rehabilitating over 2 thousand non-functioning rural water points; and maintaining these for a decade or more. These handpumps were constructed in the past by aid organisations or other development organisations, but have fallen into disrepair due to absent technical repair skills, lack of organizational capacity or spare parts, poverty or extreme climate events such as cyclones and drought.

Victims of climate change

Madagascar is the one of the world’s poorest countries; and one of the few countries that is consistently getting poorer. “In the last 20 years GDP per capita has not grown; and the number in extreme poverty increased almost one-for-one with total population”. Presently, the country is “on the brink of experiencing the world’s first climate change famine”, according to the United Nations, which says tens of thousands of people are already suffering catastrophic levels of hunger and food insecurity after four years without rain.

"This is unprecidented. These people have done nothing to contribute to climate change. They don't burn fossil fuels… and yet they are bearing the brunt of climate change."

Shelly Thakral, UN World Food Programme

How does safe drinking water prevent CO2 emissions?

In Madagascar, only 9% of the rural population has access to improved water sources (the 8th lowest ranking in the world) . As a result, most families use unsafe water from rivers. This causes water-borne disease, especially diarrhoea, which contributes to malnutrition and stunting – thus exacerbating the effects of drought and poverty.

In the absence of affordable treatment alternatives, contaminated water should be boiled, which requires firewood which people collect from natural forests. This emits CO2 and contributes to deforestation – something that can be avoided if the people had access to safe drinking water. Restoration of safe drinking water access therefore prevents greenhouse gas emissions; but also disease and death amongst vulnerable people, especially children below 5 years of age; reduces deforestation; and enhances economic development.

Verified Carbon Emissions Reductions

Using the Gold Standard Methodology for Emissions Reductions from Safe Water, voluntary carbon credits (VERs) will be generated (~240,000 tCO2e per year). The sale of the VERs creates a long-term income stream that funds the rehabilitation of broken-down water points; and ensures their ongoing maintenance for at least ten years. Carbon credits produced under the Gold Standard are highest quality, third-party verified, validated emissions reductions.

Restoring Wells

There are over 10,000 wells in Madagascar of which 40% are completely non-functioning and another 45% which are significantly damaged and require maintenance.

SaniTap has identified those wells which will have the greatest impact when restored.

With details on condition, geolocation, maintenance/repair required, households served, community elders, make, usage, how long the pumps have been non-functional and the reasons for failure, SaniTap has the depth of knowledge and understanding to quickly and effectively restore water to hundreds of thousands of people.