reductions. Within a carbon offset project, the project developer selects the clean
cooking technology design, so this category has been eliminated. In all, the far left
column of the GACC’s conceptual framework translates intuitively into carbon
offset project’s value chain, determining the categories of actors that we assessed
for evidence of access to and gains associated with utilizing the carbon market.
The second column of the GACC framework, “components of enhanced livelihoods” includes the following categories: employment; income, technical and
business skills; business and social networks; knowledge of environmental health/
benefits; expanded access to health and credit. The semi-structured interviews with
actors in the first column touched upon all of these elements of an enhanced
livelihood, and aspects of these interviews will be discussed in the case analysis.
However, due to variability in the categories that were relevant for all actors in the
value chain, the livelihood index we utilize here references those aspects of an
enhanced livelihood that were pertinent in every single interview: steady and
predictable employment; income for labor, enhanced opportunities engendered by
skilled labour and enhanced opportunities engendered my managerial positions
(i.e. positions with some degree of decision making power). The need for expanded
access to capital and credit was not always a prerequisite for acquiring the new
technology; in some cases, households were given the technology for free. The
relationship between users, borrowers and the local impact of integrating them into
the formal economy through enhanced credit options is significantly complex that it
is the subject for another paper.
The third column articulates varying “outcomes of enhanced livelihoods:”
quality employment and/or entrepreneurship opportunities; increased income;
increased knowledge and skills; increased access to resources; and enhanced social
capital through expanded social networks. Quality employment and entrepreneurship opportunities arguably encompasses other outcomes, such as increased skills
and resources, increased networking opportunities and enhanced social capital and
status. Another outcome worth further investigation would be increased employment choices. For example in addition to the outcomes identified within the GACC
framework, avoided sacrifices where money was not the priority outcome were also
positively mentioned; i.e. “employment with the carbon offset project enables me to
work close to my village, and without this job I would be forced to live far away
from my family.
Pressed further, this particular interviewee admitted that he could earn a better
income in Vietnam, but the benefit of living with his family at home in Cambodia
and engaging with the environment-development project far outweighed the potential increase in income. This type of benefit is not clearly captured in the conceptual
framework or the livelihood index as it currently stands; further research is required
to establish how and under what conditions carbon finance can engender or hinder
livelihood choices where income is not the salient driving factor.
Thus, the livelihood index offers a rough proxy as to the impact of a carbon
finance project on local incomes and livelihoods within the economy that surrounds
the carbon finance intervention; while imperfect, the livelihood index can help to
12 Unpacking the Black Box of Technology Distribution, Development Potential. . .
219
cooking technology design, so this category has been eliminated. In all, the far left
column of the GACC’s conceptual framework translates intuitively into carbon
offset project’s value chain, determining the categories of actors that we assessed
for evidence of access to and gains associated with utilizing the carbon market.
The second column of the GACC framework, “components of enhanced livelihoods” includes the following categories: employment; income, technical and
business skills; business and social networks; knowledge of environmental health/
benefits; expanded access to health and credit. The semi-structured interviews with
actors in the first column touched upon all of these elements of an enhanced
livelihood, and aspects of these interviews will be discussed in the case analysis.
However, due to variability in the categories that were relevant for all actors in the
value chain, the livelihood index we utilize here references those aspects of an
enhanced livelihood that were pertinent in every single interview: steady and
predictable employment; income for labor, enhanced opportunities engendered by
skilled labour and enhanced opportunities engendered my managerial positions
(i.e. positions with some degree of decision making power). The need for expanded
access to capital and credit was not always a prerequisite for acquiring the new
technology; in some cases, households were given the technology for free. The
relationship between users, borrowers and the local impact of integrating them into
the formal economy through enhanced credit options is significantly complex that it
is the subject for another paper.
The third column articulates varying “outcomes of enhanced livelihoods:”
quality employment and/or entrepreneurship opportunities; increased income;
increased knowledge and skills; increased access to resources; and enhanced social
capital through expanded social networks. Quality employment and entrepreneurship opportunities arguably encompasses other outcomes, such as increased skills
and resources, increased networking opportunities and enhanced social capital and
status. Another outcome worth further investigation would be increased employment choices. For example in addition to the outcomes identified within the GACC
framework, avoided sacrifices where money was not the priority outcome were also
positively mentioned; i.e. “employment with the carbon offset project enables me to
work close to my village, and without this job I would be forced to live far away
from my family.
Pressed further, this particular interviewee admitted that he could earn a better
income in Vietnam, but the benefit of living with his family at home in Cambodia
and engaging with the environment-development project far outweighed the potential increase in income. This type of benefit is not clearly captured in the conceptual
framework or the livelihood index as it currently stands; further research is required
to establish how and under what conditions carbon finance can engender or hinder
livelihood choices where income is not the salient driving factor.
Thus, the livelihood index offers a rough proxy as to the impact of a carbon
finance project on local incomes and livelihoods within the economy that surrounds
the carbon finance intervention; while imperfect, the livelihood index can help to
12 Unpacking the Black Box of Technology Distribution, Development Potential. . .
219