ATEC Global has achieved a world-first by issuing the first carbon credits through Gold Standard’s Digital MRV Pilot Programme, using 100% digital verification. The credits, generated by the “eCook Bangladesh” project, are traced via the Hedera Guardian public ledger, replacing manual reporting with real-time data from IoT-enabled cookstoves.
This digital approach is designed to restore trust in the cookstove sector by measuring every device continuously, effectively eliminating the risk of over-crediting. By automating data collection and verification, the process significantly shortens the time it takes for carbon finance to reach local communities, reducing the issuance cycle from years to just a few months.
For this inaugural phase, Gold Standard has approved 1,667 tonnes of emission reductions. Under the pilot’s interim track, 75% of these credits are released immediately to provide faster access to funding, with the remaining balance issued after a final 12-month verification.
Margaret Kim, CEO at Gold Standard, stated that this issuance marks an important step in the next generation of the carbon market. She noted that by integrating digital monitoring, reporting, and verification, the organisation is strengthening transparency, efficiency, and trust in how climate impact is measured.
Ben Jeffreys, CEO of ATEC Global, explained that digitisation based on irrefutable data improves accuracy by measuring 100% of devices 100% of the time. He added that the system accelerates the verification cycle, allowing the benefits of carbon markets to reach buyers and households in months rather than years.
Dr Kavi Singh, CEO at Earthood, observed that the cookstove sector has faced scrutiny regarding data quality and timelines in recent years. He concluded that this digital approach offers a clear and necessary pathway to improve accuracy, auditability, and speed across the industry.
