Cookstove projects are targeted climate initiatives that replace traditional, inefficient open-fire cooking methods with cleaner, modern cookstove technologies. In many developing nations, billions of people still rely on burning biomass such as wood, charcoal, agricultural waste or animal dung to cook daily meals. These initiatives distribute stoves designed to optimise fuel combustion and improve thermal efficiency. By reducing the amount of wood or fuel required, cookstove projects directly curb local deforestation, protect vulnerable forest ecosystems and lower GHG emissions - particularly CO2 and black carbon.

Beyond their environmental benefits, cookstove projects deliver social, health and economic advantages to marginalised communities. Traditional indoor cooking produces toxic smoke that causes severe respiratory illnesses, disproportionately affecting women and young children. Efficient stoves with chimneys or cleaner combustion drastically improve indoor air quality, saving lives. Additionally, because the stoves require far less fuel, people spend significantly fewer time gathering firewood or spending constrained income on charcoal. This newly reclaimed time and money can be reallocated toward education, agriculture or local economising endeavours, helping to break cycles of poverty while combating global climate change.