Africa’s largest clean cooking company, BURN, has received the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first-ever Letter of Authorization under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, a milestone that opens the door for the company and its partners to sell carbon credits to CORSIA, the aviation industry’s global carbon offsetting scheme.
The authorization, issued by the DRC’s Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and the New Climate Economy, will enable BURN to generate and transfer 930,000 carbon credits from clean cooking activities in DRC. Partners include Global Cookstoves Ltd, a joint venture between BURN and Key Carbon.
Minister Professor Marie Nyange Ndambo, speaking at an Article 6 capacity building workshop, affirmed the ministry’s commitment to developing the DRC’s carbon market.
The country’s vast forest carbon reserves—roughly 8% of the global total—carry an immense responsibility, and that BURN has become a strategic government partner in delivering sustainable solutions, she noted.
The stakes for the Congo Basin are substantial. Second only to the Amazon in size, the region’s forests sequester over 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, yet face mounting pressure from informal charcoal production.
In Kinshasa alone, a city of nearly 20 million people, households consume five million cubic meters of wood annually for cooking.
Approximately 90% of DRC’s population still relies on traditional biomass fuels, contributing to deforestation, indoor air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Through carbon finance, BURN has subsidized stove prices by 60–100%, enabling families to access a $50 stove for as little as $10.
Relevant: BURN Secures Nigeria’s Authorization To Sell Carbon Credits To CORSIA
According to BURN founder and CEO Peter Scott, the authorization represents a meaningful advance in BURN’s mission to expand clean cooking access across DRC, and reflects the government’s commitment to enabling climate solutions and aligning carbon finance with national priorities.
Since launching operations in DRC in 2017, BURN has channeled more than $18 million into the country, distributing nearly 400,000 fuel-efficient stoves.
The company also announced plans to open new manufacturing facilities in DRC, creating additional green jobs and supporting technology transfer.
Read more: BURN Becomes First To Issue Insured CORSIA Cookstove Credits
