This pro-poor carbon project in Madagascar removes 240,000 tCO2 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.
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.
This is unprecedented. 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
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.
The project contributes to 6 UN SDGs
