Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its commitment to a robust framework for managing the country’s carbon market through proper oversight of carbon credit trading and environmental integrity.
In addition, the country will seek to promote transparency in emissions accounting.
This will aim to place significance on ensuring that carbon projects contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and Zimbabwe’s broader climate goals.
Recently, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Article 6.2 technical experts reviewed the country’s initial Article 6 report and national carbon market infrastructure.
The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife said the review was a routine technical process aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in international carbon markets.
The ministry said the review should not be interpreted as an adverse finding against country.
Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority (ZiCMA) head and chief director in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Dr Washington Zhakata said the review was part of standard procedures under the Paris Agreement.
“The Ministry emphasises that this is a routine technical exercise under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, where participating Parties submit national data for independent peer review,” he said.
Dr Zhakata said the UNFCCC review process was designed to enhance transparency, accuracy, completeness, consistency and comparability across international carbon accounting frameworks.
“The UNFCCC itself defines this process as facilitative, non-intrusive and non-punitive, intentionally designed to enhance transparency, accuracy, completeness, consistency and comparability across international carbon accounting frameworks.
“Raising technical queries and requesting clarifications is precisely how the mechanism is structured to operate.”
Dr Zhakata said Zimbabwe has engaged openly and constructively throughout the review process, providing supplementary data and technical clarifications that were welcomed by the expert panel.
“The review explicitly records the supplementary data and technical clarifications provided by the Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority, which the expert panel welcomed and recommended for integration into future reporting cycles,” he said.
As with other countries that have undergone initial Article 6 reviews, Zimbabwe received recommendations on areas requiring refinement and structural improvement.
“As has been the case with every Article 6.2 review finalised globally to date, the independent experts identified minor inconsistencies and areas for structural improvement. Zimbabwe welcomes this constructive feedback, which has already been incorporated into its updated submissions,” said Dr Zhakata.
The findings reflected the normal operation of the review mechanism and did not amount to negative conclusions on the country’s carbon market framework.
“This active, iterative technical dialogue is standard for an initial review cycle and should not be misinterpreted as an adverse finding.”
Dr Zhakata said Zimbabwe had already put in place systems to address transparency and accountability requirements through the Zimbabwe Carbon Registry, which was specifically designed to strengthen the tracking of carbon credits and internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs).
“Crucially, the Zimbabwe Carbon Registry was custom-designed to resolve the very tracking and transparency gaps that Article 6 reviews frequently highlight,” Dr Zhakata said.
The registry enables the country to serialise carbon credits, permanently link them to corresponding UNFCCC regulatory reports and maintain a publicly accessible record of transactions.
Dr Zhakata said the UNFCCC review underscored the importance of robust tracking systems in preventing double counting of emissions reductions and safeguarding environmental integrity.
“A nationally controlled registry centralises authorisation, tracking, corresponding adjustments and public accountability, thereby providing the exact institutional safeguards required to protect sovereign assets.”
Dr Zhakata said Zimbabwe welcomed rigorous international scrutiny, describing transparent independent evaluation as essential for building global confidence in sovereign carbon markets.
“Transparent independent evaluation is precisely what lends global credibility to sovereign carbon markets, and Zimbabwe remains fully committed to meeting and exceeding these international standards.”
