Kenya has officially launched its National Carbon Registry, a milestone in the country’s climate governance and a step toward participating more effectively in international carbon markets.
Speaking during the launch ceremony in Nairobi on February 17, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Deborah Barasa, said that the registry is a “landmark achievement” that strengthens transparency, accountability, and credibility in Kenya’s carbon market framework.
“The registry gives Kenya’s green economy a digital heartbeat,” Barasa said.
She added that the registry will eliminate double-counting of carbon credits and ensure that the value from carbon trading flows back to communities and national development.
Kenya Unveils Africa’s First National Carbon Registry
Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Festus Ng’eno, said 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.
He said that Kenya’s carbon credits are sovereign assets protected by law and designed to deliver tangible benefits to communities.
Ng’eno 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.
On the other hand, Principal Secretary for Forestry, Gitonga Mugambi, noted that the new system builds on the Kenya REDD+ Registry launched in 2025 and integrates forest-based emission reductions into the national carbon accounting framework.
The two systems working together will make reporting clearer, stop the same data from being counted twice, and help Kenya meet its climate targets.
The government also signaled that the registry would help attract international climate finance, create green jobs and support community livelihoods, positioning Kenya as a leader in Africa’s evolving carbon market.
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EU Hails Kenyan Government’s Efforts
On her part, Henriette Geiger, the EU Ambassador to Kenya, commended the Government of Kenya for its leadership in delivering Africa’s first national Carbon Registry.
She noted that, at a time when some countries are retreating from climate commitments, the global community must intensify collective action to sustain momentum on climate action.
Geiger stressed the need to scale up climate investments and strengthen equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, particularly for communities in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), who remain the most vulnerable to climate-related shocks and disasters.
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What is the National Carbon Registry?
The National Carbon Registry serves as a centralized system for tracking, authorizing, and reporting carbon generated across sectors, including forestry, renewable energy, and land-based carbon storage.
It provides proof of ownership for emissions reductions and guarantees that each verified carbon credit meets national and international standards.
The carbon market registries will serve three key purposes:
- Promote Transparency: They provide publicly accessible information on mitigation activities under the carbon crediting program or jurisdiction.
- Manage Carbon Units: They facilitate the issuance, transfer, and use of uniquely identifiable carbon units, each linked to verified emissions reductions or removals from registered mitigation activities.
- Prevent Double Counting: They help avoid double-counting or double-issuing of emissions reductions and removals by making all information about carbon units transparent.
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