Zimbabwe Strengthens Carbon Markets with New Regulations and Blockchain Registry 

In May 2025, Zimbabwe became the first country to launch a national carbon registry using blockchain technology — a secure, transparent system for recording and tracking carbon credits. The Zimbabwe Carbon Registry (ZCR) marks a major step toward operationalizing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which enables countries to cooperate on cutting emissions through international carbon markets and nonmarket mechanisms.

The ZCR is part of a broader push to strengthen Zimbabwe’s engagement in carbon markets through regulatory reform and digital infrastructure — an effort supported by the NDC Partnership through an in-country facilitator embedded in the Climate Change Management Department.

Working closely with government ministries, departments and agencies, development partners and technical consultants, the facilitator helped design the ZCR to align with international registries and Article 6 requirements. The facilitator also contributed to the development of complementary regulatory measures, including the Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Policy Framework, Implementation Plan and Statutory Instrument (S.I.) 48 of 2025, which sets environmental and social safeguards and investor protections.

The government launched the ZCR following extensive public consultation to enable secure submission, tracking and approval of carbon market transactions. As a result of the ZCR’s design and regulatory alignment, it now has the technical architecture and transparency protocols to track Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) and authorize mitigation activities –– allowing Zimbabwe to participate in international carbon markets and attract climate finance.

Building on the launch of the ZCR, Zimbabwe has aligned its regulatory framework with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement — particularly its provisions on bilateral cooperation (6.2) and international crediting mechanisms (6.4). This included reviewing provisions on credit eligibility, environmental safeguards and corresponding adjustments to prevent double counting, as well as developing technical annexes and templates for project registration, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) and grievance redress.

The new regulations create a robust framework for carbon market activities, covering the trading, use and retirement of carbon credits, the development and implementation of carbon projects and adherence to environmental integrity principles. They provide clear standards for emissions accounting and set legal protections for carbon credits and mitigation outcomes. The regulations also establish the Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority (ZiCMA) in 2024 to serve as the Designated National Authority under Article 6.

Together, these efforts position Zimbabwe to manage carbon market activities, setting a strong example for carbon market development in the region. With the foundational framework in place, Zimbabwe can now focus on mobilizing high-integrity carbon mitigation activities and establishing cooperative agreements with international partners under Article 6.