• Kenya pioneers Africa’s first national REDD+ registry. This aims to track carbon credits and reduce deforestation.
• Partnership with S&P Global Commodity Insights boosts registry efficiency and credibility for carbon-reduction efforts.
• Projected launch by 2Q 2025—Kenya sets an example in climate finance and carbon markets.

Kenya has taken a significant step forward in its climate goals by becoming the first African nation to develop a national REDD+ registry, designed to track carbon credits aimed at reducing deforestation. The project, a collaboration between the Kenyan government, Conservation International, and S&P Global Commodity Insights, will be operational by the second quarter of 2025.

“This is a significant milestone for Kenya as it seeks to establish an enabling environment to mobilize climate finance for NDC implementation in the Forestry Sector,” said Psamson Nzioki, Programme Manager at Conservation International. The new registry aligns with Kenya’s Climate Change Act, strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks to support sustainable forest management.

The REDD+ registry will provide complete lifecycle tracking of carbon credits, generated from initiatives focused on reducing emissions from deforestation, conserving forests, and enhancing forest carbon stocks. S&P Global Commodity Insights, a trusted leader in environmental registries, was selected for its customizable and secure platform, which will help Kenya meet its carbon-reduction objectives.

“We applaud the important step that Kenya is taking in registry development and the example it sets for Africa more broadly,” said Jonty Rushforth, Head of Environmental Solutions at S&P Global Commodity Insights. He emphasized that the partnership underscores the growing importance of carbon markets in Africa’s climate strategy.

Kenya has historically led Africa in issuing carbon credits, particularly from REDD+ projects. The partnership with S&P Global not only builds on this track record but also positions Kenya to generate new revenue streams for local communities through carbon markets. “We are proud to be one of the first African nations to create a national registry of REDD+ projects,” said George Tarus, Agriculture Forest Conservation Secretary for Kenya’s State Department for Forestry.

S&P Global’s Environmental Registry platform will allow for efficient tracking and management of environmental credits across their life cycles. The platform will also provide Kenya access to the Meta Registry®, a new centralized system connecting global registries, enhancing transparency and confidence in the carbon markets.

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The project signals Africa’s strategic role in achieving global climate goals. Though Africa contributes less than 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it has the potential to be a significant player in carbon credit supply, according to research by S&P Global Commodity Insights.

This registry marks a critical advancement for Kenya’s climate efforts and sets a precedent for other African nations to follow in their deforestation and carbon-reduction initiatives.