[Stoves] News (Uganda): Government official cautions on standards for cookstoves (aDALYs next?)

[Ronal W. Larson]

Nikhil and list:

	A few responses below.  First, two sites that came up as I googled for  East Africa Global Alliance on Cook stoves, Daniel Wanjohi : 

 http://cleancookstoves.org/about/our-team/43.html <http://cleancookstoves.org/about/our-team/43.html>
http://cleancookstoves.org/country-profiles/focus-countries/8-uganda.html <http://cleancookstoves.org/country-profiles/focus-countries/8-uganda.html>

	I did not know that Uganda was so active on stoves and standards.  Good for them.

bit more below

> On Sep 28, 2017, at 9:56 AM, Nikhil Desai <pienergy2008 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Dear Ron: 
> 
> You wrote a few days ago that the ISO TC 285 work was not meant to imply any kind of enforcement.  Something like “enforcement" was a long way off. 

	[RWL:  Yup.  I still believe that - speaking at the international ISO level , which is the main one going on I believe.
> 
> To me, there is no "voluntary" standard at the national level. Either you have a standard or you don't. Voluntary ratings system like Energy Star in the US is complementary to appliance standards but not a standard in itself. Some standards may also be according to size/design - such as for refrigerators - and may be at the corporate average level (for passenger vehicles, say). 
	[RWL:  Probably true,  but I can’t see a reason a country couldn’t have a voluntary standard, if it wished.  Probably wouldn’t matter much.
> 
> I will have to check on WTO rules. True, an ISO TC may propose a standard that national members may or may not adopt. However, it is in the very nature of WTO rules and ISO mandate that countries adopt product standards and enforce them in order to facilitate smooth international trade. Pertinent legal issues merit an investigation. 
	[RWL:  I’m anxious to hear what you learn from WTO.
> 
> The story below suggests that Uganda is prepared to respond to the East Africa Global Alliance on Cookstoves for mandatory standards. Who knows, taxation of imported cookstoves may lead to a trade war with Trump. 
	[RWL:  Yes - they seem to be headed towards mandatory standards.  Probably a good idea for Uganda;  at least I haven’t heard why not.

> 
> I also wonder if Gold Standard and GACC would have to register aDALYs as a product with national standards agencies and if any standards can be applied to aDALYs. 
	[RWL:  I take this as a joke.  I doubt there are many who take this as seriously as do you.  I admire the people trying to take stove health issues seriously - through aDALYs.
> 
> Nikhil
> ------------------------
> Gov't official cautions on standards for cookstoves <https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1462509/gov-official-cautions-standards-cook-stoves>, New Vision, 27 September 2017
> 
> Wilson Wafula, the acting commissioner in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals Development, says "The standards should be enforced after the Uganda National Bureau of Standards has approved the product." 
> 
> "The commissioner was backed by the regional representative of East Africa Global Alliance on Cook stoves, Daniel Wanjohi who said any cook stove must meet the mandatory standards.
> 
> Wanjohi enumerated benefits of standardization as growing the market, discourage open fire and product uptake will go up among others."
> 
> 
	[RWL:   At this site (https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1462509/gov-official-cautions-standards-cook-stoves <https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1462509/gov-official-cautions-standards-cook-stoves>), we see Commissioner say (I emphasized the key term):  “It would be good to have one strong association, we don’t want uncoordinated associations. This business of charcoal, ash biogas associations should stop,” he warned.

	I presume this Commissioner is alarmed at forest destruction.  I haven’t checked but I’d be surprised if making charcoal in Uganda was legal.  TLUD’s could have problems on this issue - but not if appropriate credit is given for biochar.

	Maybe not critical to this list,  but I wonder if anyone can interpret “ash biogas associations”?   Sounds negative;  is charcoal part of the association?  

	I’ve run out of time, but this is good on charcoal in Uganda:  https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1312496/burning-future-charcoal <https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1312496/burning-future-charcoal>   (2013)
and
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-forest-farmers/paying-uganda-farmers-not-to-cut-down-trees-halved-deforestation-study-idUSKBN1A52K0 <https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uganda-forest-farmers/paying-uganda-farmers-not-to-cut-down-trees-halved-deforestation-study-idUSKBN1A52K0>  (2017)

Ron

>  
> 
> 

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