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Zimbabwe has become the first country globally to issue Article 6 carbon credits with Corresponding Adjustments (CAs) through the Gold Standard registry, a key advancement aligning its carbon market with international standards under the Paris Agreement. This achievement marks a pivotal step for African integration into the operational framework of Article 6, promoting transparency and accountability in the region’s emerging carbon markets.
The certification stems from Cicada Carbon’s clean cookstove project, a member of the Zimbabwe Carbon Association, and is notably the world’s first private sector initiative to receive the CA label. This ensures the emissions reductions traded internationally are properly accounted for by Zimbabwe, preventing double counting and reinforcing national ownership.
Gold Standard has confirmed that around 112,000 credits have been tagged with CAs, with the project projected to yield up to three million emissions reductions over five years. Of this, 33% will be allocated as carbon levies under Zimbabwe’s Carbon Trading Regulations.
This regulatory advancement allows Zimbabwe to participate in compliance markets such as CORSIA—the aviation industry’s carbon offset scheme led by the ICAO. A review by the CORSIA Technical Advisory Board could position the Cicada Carbon project as the second globally to meet CORSIA standards, after Guyana’s REDD+ initiative.
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The move underscores Africa’s growing technical capability to engage in global carbon finance mechanisms. While it strengthens investor confidence, experts emphasize the importance of ensuring fair benefit-sharing and local accountability. Zimbabwe’s approach could serve as a model for other African countries aiming to implement Article 6 mechanisms while maintaining control over their carbon assets.
Although the broader economic impact is still unfolding, this development highlights a regional trend towards more robust governance in carbon markets, with the potential to drive sustainable development—if equity and national policy integration are prioritized.
