VPA 33 - GHG Emission Reduction through use of Bondhu Chula (Improved Cook Stoves) in Bangladesh

Audit Analysis

A Gold Standard cookstove project in Bangladesh with VVB-confirmed additionality and a quantified leakage deduction, but undermined by an unusually large volume of material findings (over 30) and corrective actions (25) that raise concerns about MRV data quality. The project-specific baseline, absence of buffer pool information, and contradictions in ERR figures across documents further limit confidence in the verified emission reductions.

Project Description

Red Flags

• ⚠Over 30 material findings reported in the verification report, including inconsistent emission reduction values, unit errors in key parameters (fNRB, ηb, ηp), and missing sample calculations, indicating systemic MRV quality issues
• ⚠25 corrective actions required, spanning data inconsistencies, missing references, and clerical errors across the monitoring report and ER worksheet
• ⚠No buffer pool percentage or permanence mechanism stated in available documents for a project where stove replacement or disuse constitutes reversal risk
• ⚠Contradiction in leakage deduction: 0.95% per the verification report versus 5% per the monitoring report (both dated October 2023)
• ⚠Crediting period discrepancy: 2014–2024 per the verification report versus 2021–2026 per the validation report

Credit Vintages