Towards more responsible carbon finance for water
Sustainability is a major issue in the WASH sector and financial sustainability in particular needs more attention. We need to find better ways of covering the recurrent costs of water and sanitation, particularly in reaching the poorest and most vulnerable in society. Innovative approaches to financing, including recent ideas such as development impact bonds and municipal bonds, are to be welcomed. However, we must also exercise caution and not value novelty over outcome. One recent example is the rise of water projects funded by the carbon market. This article highlights some of the key risks and potential pitfalls of such schemes. The aim is not to target any single developer or scheme, but to highlight the key issues so that they can be addressed and everyone can have confidence in the impact of these activities – avoiding reputational issues and accusations of ‘greenwashing’.Boisson, S., Kiyombo, M., Sthreshley, L., Tumba, S, Makambo, J. and Clasen, T. (2010) ‘Field assessment of a novel household-based water filtration device: a randomised, placebocontrolled trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, PLoS ONE 5 (9): e12613 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012613≯.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Med 7 (11): e1000365 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365≯.
European Energy Exchange (2013) ‘Certified Emission Reductions Futures’ [website] <www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives≯ [accessed 28 June 2013]. www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives
Hunter, P.R., Zmirou-Navier, D. and Hartemann, P. (2009) ‘Estimating the impact on health of poor reliability of drinking water interventions in developing countries’, Science of the Total Environment 407: 2621-4 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.01.018≯.
Laxminarayan, R., Chow, J. and Shahid-Salles, S.A. (2006) ‘Intervention cost-effectiveness: overview of main messages’, in D.T. Jamison, J.G. Breman, A.R. Measham, G. Alleyne, M. Claeson, D.B. Evans, P. Jha, A. Mills and P. Musgrove (eds), Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edn, New York: World Bank/Oxford University Press.
Boisson, S., Kiyombo, M., Sthreshley, L., Tumba, S, Makambo, J. and Clasen, T. (2010) ‘Field assessment of a novel household-based water filtration device: a randomised, placebocontrolled trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, PLoS ONE 5 (9): e12613 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012613≯.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Med 7 (11): e1000365 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365≯.
European Energy Exchange (2013) ‘Certified Emission Reductions Futures’ [website] <www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives≯ [accessed 28 June 2013]. www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives
Hunter, P.R., Zmirou-Navier, D. and Hartemann, P. (2009) ‘Estimating the impact on health of poor reliability of drinking water interventions in developing countries’, Science of the Total Environment 407: 2621-4 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.01.018≯.
Laxminarayan, R., Chow, J. and Shahid-Salles, S.A. (2006) ‘Intervention cost-effectiveness: overview of main messages’, in D.T. Jamison, J.G. Breman, A.R. Measham, G. Alleyne, M. Claeson, D.B. Evans, P. Jha, A. Mills and P. Musgrove (eds), Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edn, New York: World Bank/Oxford University Press.
Boisson, S., Kiyombo, M., Sthreshley, L., Tumba, S, Makambo, J. and Clasen, T. (2010) ‘Field assessment of a novel household-based water filtration device: a randomised, placebocontrolled trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, PLoS ONE 5 (9): e12613 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012613≯.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Med 7 (11): e1000365 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365≯.
European Energy Exchange (2013) ‘Certified Emission Reductions Futures’ [website] <www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives≯ [accessed 28 June 2013]. www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives
Hunter, P.R., Zmirou-Navier, D. and Hartemann, P. (2009) ‘Estimating the impact on health of poor reliability of drinking water interventions in developing countries’, Science of the Total Environment 407: 2621-4 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.01.018≯.
Laxminarayan, R., Chow, J. and Shahid-Salles, S.A. (2006) ‘Intervention cost-effectiveness: overview of main messages’, in D.T. Jamison, J.G. Breman, A.R. Measham, G. Alleyne, M. Claeson, D.B. Evans, P. Jha, A. Mills and P. Musgrove (eds), Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edn, New York: World Bank/Oxford University Press.
Boisson, S., Kiyombo, M., Sthreshley, L., Tumba, S, Makambo, J. and Clasen, T. (2010) ‘Field assessment of a novel household-based water filtration device: a randomised, placebocontrolled trial in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, PLoS ONE 5 (9): e12613 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012613≯.
Cairncross, S., Bartram, J., Cumming, O. and Brocklehurst, C. (2010) ‘Hygiene, sanitation, and water: what needs to be done?’ PLoS Med 7 (11): e1000365 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000365≯.
European Energy Exchange (2013) ‘Certified Emission Reductions Futures’ [website] <www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives≯ [accessed 28 June 2013]. www.eex.com/en/Market%20Data/Trading%20Data/Emission%20Rights/Certified%20Emission%20Reductions%20Futures%20%7C%20Derivatives
Hunter, P.R., Zmirou-Navier, D. and Hartemann, P. (2009) ‘Estimating the impact on health of poor reliability of drinking water interventions in developing countries’, Science of the Total Environment 407: 2621-4 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.01.018≯.
Laxminarayan, R., Chow, J. and Shahid-Salles, S.A. (2006) ‘Intervention cost-effectiveness: overview of main messages’, in D.T. Jamison, J.G. Breman, A.R. Measham, G. Alleyne, M. Claeson, D.B. Evans, P. Jha, A. Mills and P. Musgrove (eds), Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edn, New York: World Bank/Oxford University Press.
Climate and Health Co-Benefits in Low-Income Countries: A Case Study of Carbon Financed Water Filters in Kenya and a Call for Independent Monitoring
Pickering, Amy J.
Arnold, Benjamin F.
Dentz, Holly N.
Colford, John M.
Null, Clair
Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 125 (2017), Iss. 3 P.278
https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP342 [Citations: 22]CO2 and H2O: Understanding Different Stakeholder Perspectives on the Use of Carbon Credits to Finance Household Water Treatment Projects
Summers, Sarah K.
Rainey, Rochelle
Kaur, Maneet
Graham, Jay P.
Bauch, Chris T.
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