Kenya Launches National Carbon Registry to Boost Carbon Markets

Kenya has launched its National Carbon Registry, a move that cements the country’s position as a leader in Africa’s climate finance sector.  

The centralized system is designed to streamline how Kenya tracks and trades carbon credits, ensuring the nation can finally capitalize on its vast natural assets on the global stage. 

Speaking during the launch ceremony in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Barasa, described the registry as a “landmark achievement” that strengthens transparency, accountability and credibility in Kenya’s carbon market framework. 

How will Protect National Interest

According to Barasa, the platform would protect national interests and advance sustainable development while assisting the nation in taking full advantage of opportunities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. 

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“The registry gives Kenya’s green economy a digital heartbeat,” Barasa said, noting that it would eliminate double counting of carbon credits and ensure that value from carbon trading flows back to communities and national development,” Barasa said. 

Barasa further noted that the National Carbon Registry is a centralized system for monitoring, approving, and disclosing carbon credits produced by a variety of industries, such as forestry, renewable energy, and land-based carbon storage.  

Officials claim that it ensures that every verified carbon credit satisfies national and international standards and offers evidence of ownership for emissions reductions. 

According to Dr. Eng. Festus Ng’eno, the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, the registry represents a critical step in strengthening Kenya’s institutional readiness for global carbon markets and transforming natural capital into a driver of economic growth.  

Kenya’s Carbon Credits

Ngeno emphasized that Kenya’s carbon credits are sovereign assets protected by law and designed to deliver tangible benefits to communities.  

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He added that over the past three years, the government has developed a comprehensive legal and institutional framework, including amendments to the Climate Change Act and the introduction of carbon market regulations, to support a high-integrity carbon market. 

The government also highlighted that the registry would establish Kenya as a leader in Africa’s developing carbon market by assisting in luring in foreign climate finance, generating green jobs, and bolstering local livelihoods. Follow our WhatsApp channel for Instant News Updates

An illustration of climate change. PHOTO/Courtesy