Zambia launches national carbon registry

August 11, 2026

Zambia has introduced a new national carbon registry to improve transparency, accountability, and oversight in its growing carbon market while positioning the country for expanded participation in international carbon trading under the Paris Agreement.

Officially launched on August 7, the Zambia Carbon Registry is fully integrated with the nation's Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) framework. The platform is designed to strengthen carbon accounting, improve data accuracy, and prevent issues such as double counting or the overselling of carbon credits.

The digital registry was developed through the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) initiative. It has been built specifically to comply with Zambia's national legislation while meeting the technical requirements established under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

New carbon registry strengthens Zambia's climate strategy

The platform serves as a centralized system for registering, managing, and tracking carbon mitigation projects across the country. It enables authorities to monitor project performance, verify emissions reductions, issue mitigation outcomes with unique serial numbers, and record every transfer, retirement, or cancellation of carbon credits.

In addition, the registry supports reporting obligations for Article 6 carbon transactions, including Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs), helping Zambia participate more effectively in international carbon markets.

By linking directly to the country's greenhouse gas inventory and national measurement systems, the registry ensures that emissions reductions can either contribute toward Zambia's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) or be transferred internationally as ITMOs under approved agreements.

Future upgrades are expected to incorporate voluntary carbon market projects, creating a single digital platform for both compliance and voluntary carbon credit activities.

Improved transparency for carbon market participants

The registry has been developed for a broad range of users, including project developers, government agencies, designated operational entities, verification bodies, and members of the public. It provides transparent access to registered projects, carbon credit issuance, and transaction records, increasing confidence in Zambia's carbon market.

Government officials believe the platform will improve oversight while attracting greater international investment.

Dr. Douty Chibamba, Permanent Secretary at Zambia's Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, emphasized the importance of the system, stating that the fully digital registry demonstrates the country's commitment to transparency, accountability, and environmental integrity.

International collaboration behind the platform

The project was implemented by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre together with GFA Consulting Group. Local partners included the Center for Energy, Environment and Engineering Zambia (CEEEZ), the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), and the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Zambia is among the first nations to deploy a fully customized national digital carbon registry specifically designed to support the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

As global demand for high-quality carbon credits continues to rise, the new registry is expected to strengthen Zambia's position in international carbon markets while ensuring that emissions reductions are tracked with greater accuracy, transparency, and credibility.