Zimbabwe is completing the development of its national carbon credit framework which is expected to
guide businesses, benefit communities and protect investors who wish to establish carbon-trade
businesses in the country.
Zimbabwe has vast opportunities for carbon trading in the energy sector through investments in solar,
wind, mini-hydro and geothermal power generation.
Expansion of African economies in recent years, has increases demand for electricity to levels beyond
the current power generation capacity.
Energy efficiency, cleaner technologies in the manufacturing sector and the replacement of
hydro-fluorocarbons, presents further opportunities for Zimbabwe and Africa.
Carbon trade business is becoming a key measure not only to trigger finance, but to assist in the global
emissions reduction
Zimbabwean government, revealed of the plan during The Africa Business Forum held in Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia through Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Chief Director for
Environment, Climate and Meteorological Services in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and
Hospitality Industry Professor Prosper Matondi, who represented the country’s President Emerson
Mnangagwa at the forum.
Carbon credits are built through allowing some producers to emit carbon dioxide, while others remove
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or slash their emissions.
The trade involves at the completion for the emitters to be paying the sequesters, such as forest
owners, or the investors into green energy and the like some of their costs.
“Looking at the ability of the carbon trade to address climate challenges, it is true that Africa is gifted
with an abundance of natural resources in the form of forests, wildlife, water, good agricultural soils and
minerals. These resources play a vital role in carbon sequestration.” He read the President’s speech at
the forum.
President Mnangagwa in the speech read, said in Zimbabwe, the energy sector has a ready market for
carbon credits as the country is facing power challenges due to increased demand in all socio-economic
sectors.
“In addition, there are opportunities in the transport sector to reduce emissions through partnerships in
mass bus transit systems and railway transport with an emphasis on renewable energy,” it was read
“The rural areas have a lot of potential in relation to forest conservation and afforestation whilst the
large urban areas generate a lot of waste and present opportunities for methane capture as well as
waste-to-energy projects.”
“In the area of agriculture, Zimbabwe could benefit and treble the impact of a food response strategy
through programmes that reduce carbon. This can be achieved by unlocking businesses that promote
conservation farming such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa and agroforestry. Such businesses consume less
energy, provide for soils reconditioning, and production of organic nutrients that are vital for building
healthy soils to sequestrate carbon.” President Mnangagwa said in the speech read on his behalf.
The world, and in particular Africa, faces deep climate-related challenges caused by global warming that
is now 1.1 degrees above historic norms, and with the current business-as-usual, is expected to be 4.2
degrees above by 2030.
The capacity of Africa’s natural resources (forests and wetlands) to sink carbon is severely challenged.
Carbon trading is seen as playing a central role in delivering broad-based and cost-efficient reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions and achieving the climate targets of the Paris Agreement of 2015.
Introduction of carbon trade has been slow, complex and misunderstood globally and in particular, in
Africa.
The present fight to address climate change and the associated need for low carbon development,
provides a great avenue for Africa and in particular Zimbabwe to negotiate better trade terms with the
rest of the world.
There is abundance of carbon trading opportunities for Zimbabwe and Africa’s natural forests,
reforestation programmes as well as renewable energy related to solar, wind, biogas and geothermal
power, and waste to energy programmes.
Article by Elvis Dumba
Water for Life Foundation