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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Dear all, <o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>It is not very often I do participate in the discussion on this list. I do, however, follow it closely. I am writing now to give my support to Xavier and his call to stop the use of the WBT. Being a user of test centres and highly dependent on having valid results for our stoves, I must say I’m deeply concerned about the use of the WBT. Prime has so far tested the same stove in five various test centres recommended by GACC and the results are not just different each time, in some cases they are even the opposite of each other. So how can we as a producer say anything about the efficiency or emissions of our stoves to our donors or potential customers? Basically I can ask, what are you after? A clean stove or an efficient stove? And then I select the report that is suitable for the purpose. To me, the WBT and ranking of stoves using this is a joke and a danger to the credibility of the entire stove industry. Moreover, we are sick of having spent thousands of dollars on test results that mean nothing! <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The only protocol we do support is the CSI Indonesia protocol as this seems to produce relatively “true” results backed by field results. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>I raised our concerns about the WBT with the GACC and the Gold Standard in 2015 but no progress for the users of such tests seems to have happened since then. This is highly worrying as millions of dollars are paid out based on manipulated test results “verified and approved” by the GACC as they are the main promoters of this testing method giving it credibility towards other “non-stove” donors. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Camilla<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'>Camilla Fulland<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'>CEO | Prime Cookstoves<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="mailto:camilla.fulland@primestoves.com"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>camilla.fulland@primestoves.com</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=NO-BOK style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'> </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'>Norway: +47 48 12 05 37<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'>Indonesia: +628 2147 600 141<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'>Skype: camilla.fulland<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><a href="http://www.primestoves.com"><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>www.primestoves.com</span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=NO-BOK style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'> </span></span><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'><span lang=EN-GB style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_MailEndCompose'></span><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> Stoves [mailto:stoves-bounces@lists.bioenergylists.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Xavier Brandao<br><b>Sent:</b> onsdag 18. januar 2017 23.08<br><b>To:</b> Discussion of biomass cooking stoves <stoves@lists.bioenergylists.org><br><b>Subject:</b> [Stoves] Advocacy action: ask the GACC to stop promoting the WBT<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Dear friends,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>There have been a lot of fierce discussions on the stove discussion list lately. I think most of us are unhappy with a certain number of sector-wide issues.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>There is one thing in particular that appalled me. I read the study by Riva et al.:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>"Fuzzy interval propagation of uncertainties in experimental analysis for improved and traditional three–stone fire cookstoves"</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308900170_2016_Riva_Fuzzy_interval_propagation_of_uncertainties_in_experimental_analysis_for_improved_and_traditional_three_-_Stone_fire_cookstoves"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308900170_2016_Riva_Fuzzy_interval_propagation_of_uncertainties_in_experimental_analysis_for_improved_and_traditional_three_-_Stone_fire_cookstoves</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I am appalled that we are in 2017, and again another study shows how much the Water Boiling Test is flawed, and is leading us in the wrong direction(s).</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I am appalled when I think that Crispin has been telling us about it all these years (10 years now?), and his warnings have too often fallen on deaf ears.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Radha Muthiah, the CEO of the GACC, said in her introduction of the GACC 2016 annual report: "The Alliance worked with UNHCR to develop procurement guidelines that include evaluation of stove and fuel performance, affordability, usability, safety, and durability. This is an example of how organizations can adapt international standards to support their priorities and decision-making."</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Crispin mentioned that the procurement guidelines were based upon the WBT.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We are in 2017, and important decisions for thousand of stoves to refugees are still based on the WBT, a test which does not allow us to really know how a stove will perform. This is scary.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>At the end of last year, Prakti was commissionned by the World Bank to review the testing ecosystem in India. I had the chance to talk with many stakeholders, especially from the U.S., and to have enlightening discussions. Things have barely started to move it seems. A few people have started to see the shortcomings of the WBT. But this is all too slow.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>What we fail to measure are the damages.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>How many tests results are probably meaningless, and so useless? How ignorant were we about the real performance of so many stoves? Many of us could see how different performance in the field was, compared to performance in the lab.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>How many not-at-all-improved stoves were built, promoted, and disseminated?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>How many stove projects or companies failed because of a test that was problematic in the first place?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>How many efforts, how much money was lost because of poor testing?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Crispin is right, I could not agree more with him on that: before being able to do the R&D that we need so much, we need valid metrics. There is no way around that. This should be our first priority.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We need to act now; but, to act and get results, we must focus on what is important, on what is central, on what is foundational. Now, we need good testing; it is as simple as that.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>The goal is not to point fingers, nor put the blame on anyone. What is done is done, the only thing that matters now is: what do we do from here? We need to work together constructively.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We cannot say we didn't know.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I discussed with Crispin, Adam, and a few others. I am starting an advocacy action with this email actually.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>It is very simple.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>I think we need to address the GACC. Despite all the criticism, the GACC did a lot of work for the stove sector, and, like it or not, is still regarded as our main representative to policy makers and those with the capital to fund meaningful change at scale. We need to be working with them.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We would ask the GACC:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>· to publicly acknowledge that the WBT has major shortcomings</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>· to remove the protocol from its website, so cookstoves sector stakeholders are not using it</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>· to actively promote development and use of other, valid, protocols</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>There were a lot of heated discussions around the WBT in the past. Because of that, other protocols were included in the TC 285 process. This is not good enough.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We don't want invalid protocols to be promoted alongside valid ones. I believe the WBT is still the most used protocol, and anyone can download it on the web, and (mis)use it. That does a lot of harm.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Here it is, on top of the page:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span class=gmail-msohyperlink><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="http://cleancookstoves.org/technology-and-fuels/testing/protocols.html">http://cleancookstoves.org/technology-and-fuels/testing/protocols.html</a></span></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Good and valid protocols do exist. They work very well, give more and better data than the WBT. We do not have, at all, to use the WBT. Why would we keep using it at all?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Recent articles have shown that we are losing credibility as a sector. We cannot regain it if we keep using invalid testing. I think this sector is comprised of good people who want to do good science and build healthy foundations.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>If you think you are one of these people, please contact me at my email address to show your support for this initiative:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><a href="mailto:xvr.brandao@gmail.com"><span class=gmail-msohyperlink><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>xvr.brandao@gmail.com</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>If you have an opinion on the matter, let's please discuss it here on the stovelist. If you dont agree, if you think there are good scientific grounds for the WBT as a valid protocol, or think for this or another reason that it should still be used, please let's discuss it, in scientific terms, on this list.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>The outcomes of this discussion will be brought to the GACC, and we will continue discussing it with them.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We have all dedicated a significant portion of our lives to this work; let us not let bad science, or past wrong decisions undermine all that we have accomplished, or all that we might. Can we stand together, whatever our differences of opinion on the best stoves, or fuels, or development practices and agree that in testing our assumptions, pseudo-science and demonstrably flawed methods have no place in this sector?</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Please join, please tell people around you about this initiative.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>2017 is just starting, let's start it on the right foot.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Thanks,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:justify'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Xavier</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>