Kenya launches national carbon registry to boost transparency

Environment CS Deborah Barasa during the launch of the Tupande tree crowning initiative at One A care fund grounds in Kakamega on April 9, 2025. [File, Standard]

Kenya has officially launched its National Carbon Registry, a digital platform designed to bring transparency and oversight to the sector.

The digital system is designed to track every carbon credit generated within the country and verify all carbon projects to ensure that climate projects align with Kenya’s international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

“This registry strengthens our ability to participate credibly in international carbon markets,” stated Environment Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa during the unveiling. It reflects the reforms we have undertaken to ensure emissions data is verifiable, accessible, and aligned with national law.”

For years, Kenya’s carbon market operated with minimal government involvement, led largely by private developers and international NGOs. The new registry will now see all projects being registered and verified by the state.

By centralising data, the stakeholders said that this would solve the double-counting problem, where the carbon reduction is claimed by several parties, a practice that push away many investors.

Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary Festus Ng'eno, emphasised that the new system will now enhance transparency.

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“We must synchronise development partner support with government priorities. This alignment is not optional. It is about ensuring that the benefits of our natural resources stay within our borders and support our national climate goals.” Ngeno said.

The new system allows smaller, community-led conservation projects to also be integrated into the national framework, a move expected to protect local communities from crafty deals while ensuring they receive a fair share of revenue generated from their projects.

NEMA Director General Mamo B Mamo said that the registry is the key to preventing double-counting, a practice that has been a major hurdle in global offset trust.

"The registry will help to prevent double counting and double issuance of emissions reductions by making information about carbon units transparent," Mamo said.

"NEMA will serve as a one-stop shop for carbon project approvals, environmental and social safeguards, and project monitoring. This is a great step towards enhancing the flow of climate finance from developed countries to Kenya," he added.

Representing the newly established Carbon Markets Association of Kenya (CAMAK), Mahlon Walo, noted that the registry is a success for project integrity and industry standards.

"The launch of this registry and the formalisation of CAMAK represent a pivotal step in building a collaborative, enabling environment," Walo noted. "Our goal is for Kenya to lead the world in high-quality carbon credits that bring tangible benefits. By uniting practitioners under a shared voice of integrity and innovation, we ensure that Kenya’s carbon market is not just growing, but growing correctly."

The launch received international backing through the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership. British High Commissioner Neil Wigan highlighted the collaborative effort behind the project.

"This registry is a powerful symbol of our partnership," Wigan noted. "It demonstrates how local and international frameworks can work together to advance environmental accountability and support our shared goal of enabling people and nature to thrive together."

For the first two years, the UK will provide hosting and technical support for the registry while Kenya continues to build its local institutional capacity.

Dr Jackson Koimbori, Head of Circular Economy and Climate Change at KEPSA, noted that the registry, alongside the new Carbon Market Guidebook for Kenyan Enterprises, would ease the process for local firms

“Businesses are looking at carbon credits as a financing mechanism that does not require collateral, unlike in the traditional financial system,” Dr. Koimbori said. They are a green instrument that businesses are finally learning to access. This registry provides the predictability that the private sector has been calling for.”