Zim Breaks New Ground With Blockchain-Based Carbon Registry
Zimbabwe has made history by launching the world’s first blockchain-based National Carbon Registry. President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced the breakthrough during the SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCA) Summit of Heads of State and Government 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,” said President Mnangagwa.
The announcement came as regional leaders gathered to mark 25 years of the TFCA programme.
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A bold first for Africa
The Herald reports that the registry, developed by A6 Labs and Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, uses blockchain technology to monitor carbon credits from issuance to retirement. It aims to increase transparency, build investor confidence, and align with the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 framework.
“This was a bold decision towards a more sustainable future,” said President Mnangagwa.
“We stand ready to share Zimbabwe’s experiences in this respect.”
The President said carbon trading would now be guided by new national regulations with strict social and environmental safeguards.
“Zimbabwe is the first to transition completely from the risky Voluntary Carbon Market to Article 6 compliance,” he told regional leaders.
Conservation must benefit communities
President Mnangagwa called on SADC nations to centre conservation around people.
“At the centre of these efforts must be the need to enhance the lives and livelihoods of our communities, striking a harmonious balance between nature and development,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of including youth, women, and local communities in conservation.
“When we empower local communities, we capacitate the very ecosystems we seek to protect,” the President said.
The President added that sustainable models must ensure grassroots development while promoting resilience.
25 years of regional conservation
The summit celebrated the 25th anniversary of the TFCA programme and progress 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,” said President Mnangagwa.
“It has reaffirmed the critical role of Transfrontier Conservation Areas as powerful instruments for regional integration, resilience, inclusive growth and peace-building.”
The summit brought together leaders from across Southern Africa, including Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and Zanzibar, to share experiences and chart a path forward.
President Mnangagwa said cross-border cooperation should continue to yield results in protecting the region’s rich wildlife heritage.
“Let us carry forward the momentum built here,” he urged.
“Let us provide transformational leadership that is grounded in the lived realities of our peoples.”
Zimbabwe’s carbon registry now positions the country as a global leader in innovative, climate-aligned conservation policy.
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The post Zimbabwe Launches World’s First Blockchain Carbon Registry appeared first on iHarare News.
