UN approves first carbon credit to Myanmar woodstove project
France 24
by FRANCE 24February 26, 2026
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The United Nations has approved the first carbon credits under its new market mechanism established by the Paris Agreement. These credits are allocated to a South Korean company distributing efficient wood-burning cookstoves in Myanmar, aiming to reduce harmful air pollution and alleviate pressure on local forests. The project not only cuts greenhouse gas emissions but also addresses critical public health issues linked to indoor air pollution.
The initiative highlights the UN's commitment to ensuring robust environmental safeguards and transparency in its carbon market system. This first issuance of credits marks a significant step toward building confidence in the mechanism, which allows countries and companies to offset their excess emissions by supporting climate-friendly projects in other nations. The cookstoves used in Myanmar burn woody biomass more efficiently, requiring less fuel and significantly reducing smoke indoors.
Clean cooking solutions are vital for global health, as over two billion people worldwide still rely on open fires or inefficient stoves, leading to millions of premature deaths annually from air pollution. Despite this, progress is slow: only 78% of the population is projected to have access to clean cooking by 2030, according to the World Health Organization. The UN's carbon market now provides a pathway for countries and companies to fund such projects while meeting their climate targets.
The approval also comes amid ongoing debates about the effectiveness of carbon markets in addressing global warming. Critics caution against potential greenwashing, but proponents argue that the new rules under the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) ensure integrity by applying more conservative emission reduction calculations than previous schemes. These measures aim to prevent overstatement of emissions reductions and maintain trust in the system.
This landmark decision underscores the importance of leveraging international cooperation to tackle climate change while improving quality of life in developing nations. By supporting projects like the Myanmar cookstove initiative, the UN is demonstrating how carbon markets can effectively address both environmental and social challenges.
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Originally published on France 24 on 2/26/2026