The people of Mali suffer from frequent droughts (especially in the northern region) and extreme poverty, both of which are being magnified as a result of climate change. The cooking stove project significantly reduces demand for wood and charcoal, lowers fuel cost and has a positive impact on the global climate via a reduction of CO₂ emissions.

Traditional cooking stoves used for cooking and fueled by wood and charcoal, are being replaced with energy-efficient cooking stoves. The improved cooking stoves use ceramic liners that allow charcoal and wood to be combusted in a more efficient manner. This makes them 50 percent more fuel-efficient than the traditional system. It is estimated that the new cooking stoves will prevent over 100,000 tons of CO₂ from being released to the atmosphere annually. In addition to being more energy efficient, the modern cooking stoves emit less smoke, leading to a healthier cooking environment.

The cooking stoves for the carbon reduction project are being produced in Bamako, Mali’s capital. The new stoves come in three different sizes to meet different household needs and are sold within an established regional network inside the country. Individuals must purchase the cooking stoves because past projects have proven that when individuals pay even a minimal amount it creates a notion of value and secures long term use. Because the stoves are sold at reduced prices, families are rapidly able to offset the cost via fuel savings.