16.10.2012 | News
Gaia Consulting Oy and Ethio Resource Group have completed their Nordic Development Fund (NDF) financed project on energy efficient cooking in Ethiopia. This is the first project under the Nordic Climate Facility (NCF) to be fully implemented since the Facility was established in 2009. The NCF is jointly administered by NDF and NEFCO.
The idea of the project has been to replace low quality cooking stoves with energy efficient ones at public institutions like schools, hospitals and universities. According to Gaia’s completion report 105 schools, two universities and three prisons have been covered by the project. The measures have reduced the usage of firewood by approximately 855 tonnes a year, which in turn has preserved more than 28 hectares of forests and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 1,300 tonnes a year. The project has also contributed to improved health, since it has improved indoor air quality and reduced emissions of particles.
“This is an inspiring example of a development project that simultaneously reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps communities adapt to the impacts of climate change,” says Martina Jägerhorn, Country Program Manager at the NDF.
“The fact that the project was completed in 18 months in a challenging environment shows excellent co-operation between Gaia Consulting Oy and their Ethiopian partner, Ethio Resource Group,” adds NCF Manager Kari Hämekoski from NEFCO.
Energy efficient cooking has the potential to be scaled up in Ethiopia as 14 metal workers have been trained in stove production and business development, and local stakeholders have become very interested in the improved stoves. It is anticipated that the market for them can grow especially within large institutions such as universities and prisons. One university has started producing new stoves both for its own use and for the local market, while another public institution has already purchased five additional stoves from a private stove producer.
The Nordic Climate Facility provides partial grants to development projects that have the potential to combat climate change, decrease emissions and reduce poverty in low-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It encourages innovation and promotes technological transfers in sectors susceptible to climate change. Financing is granted to Nordic institutions, organisations, and private companies which have established co-operation with a partner in low-income countries. The Facility is based on calls for proposals. Each call focuses on specific themes relating to climate change. Since the start, three calls for proposals have been launched and a total of 442 proposals have been received. Fourteen contracts were signed under the first call and 12 under the second. Thirteen projects have been selected for final negotiations under the third call for proposals.
Watch a video on the project described above
Learn more about the Nordic Climate Facility
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