"My excitement for this project grew during my first visit to Ghana. What excites me today is hearing from project beneficiaries - how their lives have changed because of something as simple, and as powerful, as a cookstove.” – Daniel de Vries, ACT] 

“The ‘Transformative Cookstove Activity in Rural Ghana’ was never just about creating credits. We wanted to build something environmentally credible, backed by science, and enduring- in a space where standards were still being written. With no blueprint to follow, ACT and our partner Envirofit worked across borders and between regulatory frameworks to deliver a project that could stand as a model of integrity,” said Daniel. 

What did it take to accomplish this? Approvals from two governments – Switzerland and Ghana - evolving Article 6.2 guidance, technical compliance, stakeholder education; and throughout it all, the need to ensure the impact was measurable and felt by the people on the ground. That’s where our role became something more than a project partner. We became translators between science and implementation, regulators and realities, vision and impact. 

"We believe that organizations aiming to develop their own project will find value in a process that’s already proven and stress-tested, especially when partnered with a team that can see the project through from start to finish.”

Our role in delivering the world’s first improved cookstove project under Article 6.2 proves that we don’t just navigate complex regulatory landscapes: we help shape them. For organizations or governments looking to build a high-integrity project from the ground up, be first movers in a new market, or source credits they can stand behind, this project shows what’s possible when experience, science, and climate ambition come together. 

All of this happened under a fixed project budget, proving that high-impact project development is possible and scalable. 

“This was a project that embraced complexity from the start. Where standard practice might have allowed for loose assumptions or minimal monitoring, we and our partners chose the opposite - with quarterly kitchen performance tests, monthly surveys, and thermal sensor data to verify real stove usage. We applied a conservative approach to calculating emissions reductions that was later validated by a leading carbon credit rating agency,” said Daniel. “Beyond the data, we helped ensure repair systems were in place and that community engagement remained constant throughout.” 

But the most critical takeaway isn’t technical. It’s human. Carbon finance projects succeed when the communities they serve see value. When the tools they’re given are used, maintained, and embraced. 

The result is a carbon project that issues high quality credits, reduces emissions, and supports livelihoods. A foundation laid that will last beyond the project cycle. 

This project proved that with the right partners, the right processes, and a commitment to doing it right, climate projects are both technical and human; as credible and as they are impactful. Scientific and deeply personal. 

For any organization considering what it would take to develop a project of this nature - or unsure where to start – the ‘Transformative Cookstove Activity in Rural Ghana’ is proof of what can happen when your environmental ambition meets structure and a team that’s ready to help you act. Where transparency is a built-in design principle.  

At ACT, we offer a holistic approach to carbon project development. Our partnerships are built on experience and shared values that every project should mean something to the planet, to the people involved, and to the organizations who invest in it. 

Because knowing your impact starts long before the credits are issued. It starts with how you build your project, and who you build it with.