By Abbas Nazil
Climate solutions company Treasure Carbon is promoting long-term climate action in Nepal through an improved cookstove programme designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, limit household air pollution and improve livelihoods, as the country faces growing climate risks following devastating floods and landslides.
The initiative, developed and financed by Singapore-based Treasure Carbon, provides more than 85,000 improved cookstoves to households in Nepal’s Lumbini Province that depend on traditional biomass fuels for cooking.
The project aims to cut emissions, improve indoor air quality, protect the health of women and children and reduce the time families spend preparing meals.
Its approach highlights how climate finance can support communities before disasters occur, rather than focusing solely on emergency relief after climate-related events.
In late August 2026, severe floods and landslides struck northern Nepal, prompting the United Nations to launch a $49.6 million emergency appeal to address casualties, infrastructure damage and disruptions to local livelihoods.
The disaster has renewed concerns about the unequal distribution of climate risks, particularly for developing countries that have limited resources to respond to extreme weather despite contributing less to historical global emissions.
A case study by the Centre for Asian Philanthropy and Society (CAPS) examined Treasure Carbon’s Nepal Improved Cookstove Programme to assess how private investment can generate environmental and social benefits alongside commercial value.
According to the report, the project monitors household energy consumption and exposure to indoor smoke before and after improved cookstoves are introduced.
The information helps assess changes in household conditions while providing evidence for calculating potential greenhouse gas emission reductions.
These reductions are quantified using an applicable carbon-crediting methodology and are subject to independent validation and verification.
Once verified and issued, carbon credits may be sold in carbon markets, potentially generating revenue that can support the continuation and expansion of climate projects.
Local residents also participate in implementation, community engagement, data collection and operational management, creating opportunities for employment and income generation.
The programme therefore links emissions reduction with community development, using the same evidence to demonstrate environmental progress and assess social outcomes.
CAPS, a non-profit research organisation focused on social development in Asia and the social value of private capital, said the project illustrates how commercial activity can contribute to measurable social impact.
The report also describes Treasure Carbon’s development from a company focused on carbon management and asset trading into a broader climate solutions business.
Treasure Carbon Group was established in 2010, while its Singapore entity was set up in 2023 to support international expansion through project development and investment.
Its activities now include climate consulting, project development, carbon asset management, trading, green finance-related services and digital carbon management tools.
The company is also developing climate projects in other emerging and climate-vulnerable markets, including forest-related initiatives in the Solomon Islands and projects across parts of Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Africa.
The expansion reflects a growing emphasis on ensuring that carbon markets support credible environmental outcomes, rather than concentrating exclusively on the trading of carbon credits.
However, the long-term effectiveness of such programmes depends on reliable emissions accounting, independent verification and evidence that promised community benefits are delivered.
Treasure Carbon’s Nepal initiative demonstrates how carbon finance could help connect international investment with local climate priorities, while providing households with cleaner cooking options and creating potential income opportunities.
As climate-related disasters continue to threaten vulnerable communities, the challenge for governments, investors and project developers will be to ensure that climate finance delivers measurable emissions reductions, strengthens resilience and produces lasting benefits for the people most affected.
