Zambia has launched a national carbon registry designed to strengthen oversight of carbon market activity and prepare the country for greater participation in international trading under the Paris Agreement.
The Zambia Carbon Registry, unveiled on August 7, is integrated with the country’s monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system and is intended to improve the accuracy of carbon accounting while reducing the risk of double counting or overselling emissions reductions.
The digital platform was developed with support from the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) program. It is tailored to Zambia’s laws and regulations while aligning with international standards under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
Registry Targets Transparency And Market Access
The system will allow mitigation activities to be registered and managed, facilitate monitoring and verification, issue mitigation outcomes with unique serial numbers, and track their transfer, retirement and cancellation. It will also support reporting associated with Article 6 transactions, including Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs).
The registry will be connected to Zambia’s national inventory and measurement systems, allowing emissions reductions to be accounted for against the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or transferred internationally as ITMOs. Voluntary carbon market projects are expected to be incorporated through a future update.
The platform is intended for project developers, designated operational entities, government authorities and the public, providing access to information on registered activities and transactions.
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Zambian officials said the system will make carbon market activity more visible and reviewable. Dr. Douty Chibamba, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, said, “Zambia’s Carbon Registry is fully online, demonstrating our integrity and strong commitment to accountability and transparency.”
The implementation was led by UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and GFA Consulting Group, with local partners the Center for Energy, Environment and Engineering Zambia (CEEEZ), the Zambia Environmental Management Agency and the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said Zambia is among the first countries to develop a fully customized digital registry designed to work with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
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