Carbon Credits
The water security sector has faced the chronic challenge of sustaining safe water investment over time, and this issue remains a critical development barrier, particularly when combined with increasing rates of water insecurity globally. Furthermore, the nexus between climate change and water insecurity contributes significantly towards global emissions, placing water security issues at the center of climate change conversations. Lastly, the water security sector is facing an existential financing crisis given the reductions in commitments by several bilateral donors, thus making alternative sources of financing to scale building and sustaining systems critical and timely.
Through the Drought Resilience Impact Platform-Fixing Uptime Now and Decision Improvement (DRIP FUNDI) project, MWA has pioneered the integration of carbon credit financing into rural drinking water systems in northern Kenya to support payment of repairs, operations, and maintenance, demonstrating a real-world application and innovation in this emerging space. This carbon credit program ensured that boreholes could continue to be repaired and maintained after the initial funding period. More broadly, MWA and Virridy have partnered together to launch and scale carbon credit schemes across multiple countries.
Feasibility Study
The Millennium Water Alliance, with support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, launched a pivotal study to explore the integration of carbon finance into water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and integrated water resources management (IWRM) projects. The goal of this research was to determine how carbon finance can not only sustain WASH initiatives, but also significantly scale them up, providing new strategies to ensure long-term water security and resource management.
The full learning paper provides a comprehensive dive into the detailed methodology and findings and is available through the link below.
Climate Finance Technical Working Group
To address barriers to carbon credit implementation, MWA, in partnership with Virridy and the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), will be convening a technical working group (TWG) focused on bringing together carbon credit project implementers and project developers. The TWG seeks to address these challenges by fostering peer learning and joint advocacy while developing practical guidance to help project developers unlock the full potential of carbon credits to scale sustainable drinking water access. To see the full scope of work, please click the link below.
Current Programs
Millennium Water Alliance @ World Water Week 2025
UNC Water and Health Conference Poster: Results-based Financing for Water Security – The Role of Carbon Credits in Sustaining Water Access
Exploring New Frontiers: Water and Carbon Markets Meet at World Water Week
MWA Launches Results-Based Financing Webpage Featuring Comprehensive Carbon Financing Feasibility and Learning Study
Learning Paper: Carbon Credits for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Interventions
Learning to Action: MWA’s ‘Liquid Assets’ Event Explores Carbon Financing in Water Security
Pioneering Sustainable Water Solutions with Carbon Credit Financing in Drought-Stricken Northern Kenya (DRIP-FUNDI)
Past Programs
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Publications
Carbon Financing for WASH: Studies, Reports, Webinars, and Resources
Full Learning Paper - Carbon Financing for WASH (March 2024)
Explores the integration of carbon financing into WASH initiatives, highlighting the potential for generating financial resources, enhancing project sustainability, and contributing to global climate goals through practical case studies and best practices.
Executive Summary - Learning Paper - Carbon Financing For WASH
Provides a concise summary of the Carbon Credits for WASH Interventions Learning Paper. This summary aims to highlight key points and takeaways, serving as an introduction to the broader discussions and conclusions detailed in the full document.
Decarbonizing Water: Applying the Voluntary Carbon Market toward Global Water Security (March 2024)
This comprehensive analysis led by MWA members UC Boulder and WaterAid, delves into the intersection of climate finance mechanisms and sustainable water management, offering insights into large-scale co-benefits and actionable recommendations for stakeholders.
Chatbot: Carbon Financing for WASH Specialist (Beta)
I provide expert guidance on WASH and WRIM carbon financing, helping with project design, regulatory compliance, and best practices while supporting sustainable development initiatives. My advice is detailed and practical, though not a replacement for professional legal or financial advice.
Webinar - Liquid Assets: Carbon Credits for Water Conservation, Access, and Security (April 2024)
Explore innovative research and practical applications for enhancing global water security, featuring presentations by leading experts like Evan Thomas and Jason Lopez. Supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, this session includes a dynamic panel discussion on leveraging carbon finance for sustainable water solutions, offering attendees valuable insights and actionable strategies.
Presentation Slides - Results-based Financing Through Carbon Credits (RBF-CC): WASH & WRM
Presentation slides on results-based financing for safe water and payment for eco-system services (PES) for nature-based solutions through carbon credits. Serves as a basic and broad overview of learning paper.
Applying climate reparative finance toward water security (June 2023)
Water insecurity is increasing globally as one of the first perceivable effects of climate change. While water management is typically a local challenge, climate finance mechanisms offer the potential to switch climate-damaging capital toward climate reparative water infrastructure and create a sustainable, performance-based funding stream to incentivize safe water services globally.
Gold Standard Methodology for Emissions Reductions From Safe Drinking Water Supply
Applicable to projects and programs that seek to introduce zero or low GHG water purification systems to provide safe drinking water, this methodology quantifies GHG emissions reductions displaced through decentralized thermal energy technologies.
Community Water Supply (CWS)
- ER-CWS: Emissions Reduction (ER) calculation tool for CWS projects
- BS-CWS: Baseline survey (BS) questionnaire for CWS projects
- HS-CWS: Household Survey (HS) questionnaire for CWS projects
- PS-CWS: Project survey (PS) questionnaire for CWS projects
- US-CWS: Usage survey (US) questionnaire for CWS projects
- WCFT-CWS: Water consumption field test (WCFT) questionnaire for CWS projects
Household Water Treatment (HWT)
- ER-HWT: Emissions reductions (ER) calculation tool for HWT technologies
- BS-HWT: Baseline survey (BS) questionnaire for HWT technologies
- HS-HWT: Household survey (HS) questionnaire for HWT technologies
- PS-HWT: Project Survey (PS) questionnaire for HWT technologies
- US-HWT: US questionnaire for HWT technologies
- WCFT-HWT: Water consumption field test (WCFT) questionnaire for HWT technologies
Gold Standard Safe Water Baseline and Household Survey Tool (mWater)
This survey should be adapted and edited according to the needs of the project.
Gold Standard Afforestation/Reforestation Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Reductions and Sequestration Methodology
This Methodology document is to enable A/R activities to quantify and certify emissions sequestration impacts. In turn this allows the Project to access Gold Standard VERs as per the Gold Standard Emissions Reduction and Sequestration Product Requirements.
News
Millennium Water Alliance @ World Water Week 2025
UNC Water and Health Conference Poster: Results-based Financing for Water Security – The Role of Carbon Credits in Sustaining Water Access
Exploring New Frontiers: Water and Carbon Markets Meet at World Water Week
MWA Launches Results-Based Financing Webpage Featuring Comprehensive Carbon Financing Feasibility and Learning Study
Learning Paper: Carbon Credits for Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Interventions
Learning to Action: MWA’s ‘Liquid Assets’ Event Explores Carbon Financing in Water Security