GS11677 GS11902 Malawi Biomass Energy Conservation Programme CPA 23

Audit Analysis

A Gold Standard improved-cookstove project in Malawi with VVB-confirmed additionality and a quantified 5% leakage deduction, but weakened by the absence of a buffer pool, a project-specific baseline, unresolved ERR figure discrepancies across documents, and outstanding corrective actions including a double-claiming verification. The project is functional and monitored via annual surveys, yet the data reliability issues and missing permanence safeguards prevent a higher rating.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Unexplained discrepancy between the 243,647 tCO₂e figure in the monitoring report and the 760,155 tCO₂e figure in the verification report for the same 2024 period — potential over-crediting risk if the higher figure is used for issuance
• ⚠No buffer pool or permanence mechanism identified in any available document, leaving the project exposed to reversal risk if beneficiaries revert to traditional cooking
• ⚠Corrective action requires verification that no CER and GSVER are issued for the same vintage, indicating a residual double-claiming risk that has not yet been closed
• ⚠Crediting period is inconsistent across documents: 2016–2023 (monitoring report) vs 2021–2036 (validation report), creating uncertainty about the valid crediting window

Credit Vintages