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

Abstract

Background: The recent global climate agreement in Paris aims to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions while fostering sustainable development and establishes an international trading mechanism to meet this goal. Currently, carbon offset program implementers are allowed to collect their own monitoring data to determine the number of carbon credits to be awarded.

Objectives: We summarize reasons for mandating independent monitoring of greenhouse gas emission reduction projects. In support of our policy recommendations, we describe a case study of a program designed to earn carbon credits by distributing almost one million drinking water filters in rural Kenya to avert the use of fuel for boiling water. We compare results from an assessment conducted by our research team in the program area among households with pregnant women or caregivers in rural villages with low piped water access with the reported program monitoring data and discuss the implications.

Discussion: Our assessment in Kenya found lower levels of household water filter usage than the internal program monitoring reported estimates used to determine carbon credits; we found 19% (n = 4,041) of households reported filter usage 2-3 years after filter distribution compared to the program stated usage rate of 81% (n = 14,988) 2.7 years after filter distribution. Although carbon financing could be a financially sustainable approach to scale up water treatment and improve health in low-income settings, these results suggest program effectiveness will remain uncertain in the absence of requiring monitoring data be collected by third-party organizations.

Conclusion: Independent monitoring should be a key requirement for carbon credit verification in future international carbon trading mechanisms to ensure programs achieve benefits in line with sustainable development goals. Citation: Pickering AJ, Arnold BF, Dentz HN, Colford JM Jr., Null C. 2017. 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. Environ Health Perspect 125:278-283; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP342.

Figure 1

The Carbon for Water program distribution area is shown in light yellow (includes Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, and Busia counties in Western Kenya). Each circle represents the location of one household enrolled in our assessment (n = 8,721); dark gray circles indicate study population A (surveyed approximately 6 months after LifeStraw^® filter distribution), light gray circles indicate study population B (surveyed approximately 18 months post filter distribution), open circles indicate study population C (surveyed approximately 24–36 months post filter distribution). The location of the study area within Kenya is shown at right.

Figure 2

Self reported indicators of LifeStraw^® Family filter usage (solid black and gray circles) collected by our assessment of rural households with pregnant women or caregivers of young children that reported receiving a filter in Western Kenya; a separate study population was measured at each time point (6 months, 18 months, and 24–36 months). Open circles indicate reported usage in official program monitoring reports for carbon credit verification; the three monitoring periods ended at 6 months, 19 months, and 32 months post filter distribution. Standard errors (not shown) are less than 3 percentage points for all data points.