The Modern Cooking Facility for Africa (MCFA) is presenting its first knowledge product under the MCFA Insights series: Unlocking High-Value Carbon Credits from Clean Cooking: A Guide to Accessing Article 6. This study aims to support MCFA portfolio companies and other stakeholders in the clean cooking sector to navigate the evolving carbon market landscape and maximise benefits for clean cooking initiatives across Sub-Saharan Africa.
By providing practical, contextualised guidance, the study equips stakeholders with the knowledge needed to engage more strategically in carbon markets and scale clean cooking solutions. Embracing the opportunities presented by Article 6 can help accelerate the transition to modern, affordable, and sustainable cooking solutions across Africa.
The study—written by HAMERKOP Climate Impacts, a consulting firm specialising in carbon finance and energy access, and advising MCFA portfolio companies on accessing carbon finance—offers an overview of the evolution of clean cooking carbon finance. It emphasises the growing importance of integrity and the critical role of climate finance for the sector. The study includes three key insights:
- The potential of carbon finance to scale up access to clean cooking solutions is enormous.
- Modern cooking solutions and new methodologies address increased scrutiny on the integrity of clean cooking carbon projects.
- Practical guidance to navigate Article 6 opportunities in MCFA project countries.
Carbon finance has become a vital enabler for clean cooking projects, unlocking essential revenue for scale-up and long-term sustainability. However, the sector has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years, driven by legitimate questions about whether earlier methodologies and assumptions were sufficiently conservative or fit-for-purpose as expectations for climate impact evolve. The industry is moving toward more rigorous, science-based approaches and strengthening Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) practices to enhance credibility and integrity.
In parallel, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement introduces a new framework for international carbon trading between countries, offering a compliance-driven alternative to voluntary carbon markets (VCM) grounded in transparency and high-integrity principles. For clean cooking companies, Article 6 presents both opportunities and challenges: it opens access to a new pool of buyers—primarily governments seeking to meet their NDCs—but also introduces more rigorous eligibility criteria, host country requirements, and greater scrutiny of project assumptions. Early engagement with host country governments, alignment with national climate strategies, and preparation for country-specific processes will be essential for project developers seeking to benefit from either 6.2 cooperative approaches or participation in the 6.4 mechanism.
For further information about the study:
Read and download the report from here
For further information, please contact:
Heli Sinkko, MCFA Fund Manager and Senior Programme Manager, Nefco
heli.sinkko@nefco.int, +358 10 6180 659
Colin Green, Senior Consultant – Energy Access Lead, HAMERKOP
colin.green@hamerkop.co, +447825 266 352
Hazel Herbst, Consultant, HAMERKOP
hazel.herbst@hamerkop.co, +447388 151 928
About HAMERKOP Climat Impacts
HAMERKOP Climate Impacts is a consulting firm specialising in climate finance, energy access, and Nature-based Solutions. Since 2018, HAMERKOP has worked at the intersection of public and private sectors, supporting national governments, international organisations, NGOs, and private companies. The firm operates primarily in developing countries, with specialist experience in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, delivering technical consulting services across three core pillars: Project, Market, and Policy. Read more on www.hamerkop.co