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Zimbabwe launches World's first blockchain carbon registry
26 May 2025 at 08:08hrs | Views
Zimbabwe has made history by launching the world's first blockchain-based National Carbon Registry, a groundbreaking move announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Harare on May 23, 2025.
"This demonstrates our determination to contribute towards new global standards for transparency, accountability and sustainability in the carbon market," President Mnangagwa declared as regional leaders gathered to mark 25 years of the TFCA programme.
Developed jointly by A6 Labs and Zimbabwe's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, the new registry leverages blockchain technology to track carbon credits from issuance to retirement. The system aims to increase transparency, build investor confidence, and align Zimbabwe's carbon trading framework with the Paris Agreement's Article 6 provisions.
"This was a bold decision towards a more sustainable future," the President said, affirming Zimbabwe's readiness to share its experiences with other nations pursuing climate action.
President Mnangagwa explained that carbon trading under the new system would be governed by strict national regulations, including robust social and environmental safeguards. "Zimbabwe is the first country to transition completely from the risky Voluntary Carbon Market to full Article 6 compliance," he told the summit delegates.
Calling on SADC nations to prioritise conservation that centres on people, the President emphasized the need to improve the lives and livelihoods of local communities while maintaining a balance between nature and development.
"When we empower local communities, we capacitate the very ecosystems we seek to protect," he noted, stressing the critical role of including youth, women, and grassroots actors in conservation efforts. Sustainable models, he added, must promote resilience while ensuring grassroots development.
The summit also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the TFCA programme, commemorating milestones since the opening of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in 2000. "This initiative has stood as a testament to our unity, solidarity, resilience and commitment to sustainable development," President Mnangagwa said. He underscored the importance of TFCAs as instruments for regional integration, inclusive growth, and peace-building.
Attended by leaders from across Southern Africa - including Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zanzibar - the summit provided a platform for sharing experiences and charting the future of cross-border conservation.
President Mnangagwa urged continued cooperation to protect the region's rich wildlife heritage, saying, "Let us carry forward the momentum built here. Let us provide transformational leadership that is grounded in the lived realities of our peoples."
With the launch of its blockchain-based carbon registry, Zimbabwe now positions itself as a global leader in innovative, climate-aligned conservation policy and sustainable development.
"This demonstrates our determination to contribute towards new global standards for transparency, accountability and sustainability in the carbon market," President Mnangagwa declared as regional leaders gathered to mark 25 years of the TFCA programme.
Developed jointly by A6 Labs and Zimbabwe's Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, the new registry leverages blockchain technology to track carbon credits from issuance to retirement. The system aims to increase transparency, build investor confidence, and align Zimbabwe's carbon trading framework with the Paris Agreement's Article 6 provisions.
"This was a bold decision towards a more sustainable future," the President said, affirming Zimbabwe's readiness to share its experiences with other nations pursuing climate action.
President Mnangagwa explained that carbon trading under the new system would be governed by strict national regulations, including robust social and environmental safeguards. "Zimbabwe is the first country to transition completely from the risky Voluntary Carbon Market to full Article 6 compliance," he told the summit delegates.
"When we empower local communities, we capacitate the very ecosystems we seek to protect," he noted, stressing the critical role of including youth, women, and grassroots actors in conservation efforts. Sustainable models, he added, must promote resilience while ensuring grassroots development.
The summit also celebrated the 25th anniversary of the TFCA programme, commemorating milestones since the opening of the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in 2000. "This initiative has stood as a testament to our unity, solidarity, resilience and commitment to sustainable development," President Mnangagwa said. He underscored the importance of TFCAs as instruments for regional integration, inclusive growth, and peace-building.
Attended by leaders from across Southern Africa - including Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zanzibar - the summit provided a platform for sharing experiences and charting the future of cross-border conservation.
President Mnangagwa urged continued cooperation to protect the region's rich wildlife heritage, saying, "Let us carry forward the momentum built here. Let us provide transformational leadership that is grounded in the lived realities of our peoples."
With the launch of its blockchain-based carbon registry, Zimbabwe now positions itself as a global leader in innovative, climate-aligned conservation policy and sustainable development.
Source - online
