A common methodology to measure emissions from cash and voucher assistance (CVA)

The intersections between environmental/carbon footprint reduction and CVA is a largely unexplored theme and there is currently a mix of hypotheses, perspectives and practices underpinning this issue. While some argue that CVA interventions are a way for organisations to reach their decarbonisation targets (therefore excluding them in their calculations), others consider that including CVA in the carbon footprint of their analysis is key but are faced with methodological barriers for the estimation. Faced with these barriers, various organisations have developed methodologies to estimate CVA emissions using different approaches.

With support from the French Centre de Crise et de Soutien (CDCS) and the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC), the Climate Action Accelerator is working on a common methodology and approach to estimate the carbon footprint of cash and voucher assistance. The project also aims to identify if and where decarbonisation levers exist for humanitarian organisations to act upon on the different types of CVA and assess potential emissions reduction opportunities.

The intention of this work is not in any way to take a position on the desirability or relevance of developing cash transfer and voucher activities, which, in line with Grand Bargain commitments, are encouraged to be the default modality for aid programmes, but rather to better understand the carbon profiling of CVA and the potential decarbonisation levers once a decision has been made to privilege such modality of assistance to population groups in need.

An advisory committee composed of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Action contre la Faim (ACF), WREC, the World Food Programme (WFP) and CALP Network, among others, is supporting this process.

Cover photo: Ahmed Akacha/Pexels