Kenya has formally launched a national carbon registry, marking a key milestone in the country’s efforts to anchor its carbon market framework in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
The platform, known as the Kenya National Carbon Registry (KNCR), has been developed to record, verify and track carbon credits and emissions reductions across both voluntary and compliance markets. By integrating carbon transactions into national reporting and authorisation systems, the registry is intended to reinforce environmental integrity while improving regulatory clarity.
Festus Ng'eno, principal secretary at Kenya’s Environment and Climate Change Ministry, described the development as a transition from system design to full-scale operation. ‘This milestone marks the formal transition from system development to full national operationalisation, reaffirming the government of Kenya's ownership, leadership, and readiness to operationalise the Kenya National Carbon Registry (KNCR) as a cornerstone of its Carbon Market and Climate Action Framework,’ he said in a social media post.
Technical implementation was supported by Nairobi-based consultancy Verst, which said the centralised system is designed to enhance transparency across the carbon value chain.
‘The NCR enables Kenya to participate credibly in Article 6 cooperative approaches, improves transparency, and reduces the risk of double counting or double issuance of carbon credits,’ the consultancy said in a blog. ‘By providing a public-facing layer, the registry also enhances accountability and visibility for communities, investors, and regulators,’ it added.
In addition to strengthening market safeguards, the KNCR is expected to reinforce Kenya’s control over its environmentally related data. By consolidating carbon information within a national infrastructure, the government can oversee project activity and authorisations in alignment with domestic green targets and development strategies.
The initiative also involved German development agency GIZ and the EU’s Digital for Development Hub. Building on insights from the Kenyan rollout, GIZ is now working on an AI-driven solution capable of generating customised national carbon registries in minutes. The approach aims to simplify certificate approvals and enable transparent tracking of credit issuance and transfers under Article 6, potentially widening access to international carbon markets for other African nations.