Kenya launches Africa’s first REDD+ registry in landmark UK partnership to boost climate action
This digital platform serves as a centralised system for tracking, verifying, and managing emissions reductions from REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) activities across the country.
Kenya, in partnership with the United Kingdom, on Monday marked a significant milestone in global climate cooperation with the official launch of Kenya's first-ever REDD+ Registry.
The technology that has been formulated with the help of Conservation International is a registry that is the first of its kind in Africa, placing Kenya at the forefront of forest-based climate mitigation and carbon market transparency.
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This digital platform serves as a centralised system for tracking, verifying, and managing emissions reductions from REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) activities across the country.
Speaking at the event, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Deborah Barasa, said the launch of the Kenya REDD+ Registry and Nesting Guidelines marks a pivotal step in strengthening our forest governance and unlocking climate finance. These tools, according to her, reflect Kenya's commitment to environmental integrity, transparency, and people-centred conservation.
"This Registry serves as a foundational element of Kenya's National Carbon Market Infrastructure, functioning as the official national system for recording, tracking, and verifying emission reductions and forest-based carbon credits," said Barasa.
She added that through this initiative, Kenya enhances its capacity to engage in international carbon markets with integrity, transparency, and accountability, thereby fulfilling its obligations under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
The registry is a core component of Kenya's forest-based climate mitigation strategy and is designed to serve as a centralised hub for REDD+ activities nationwide. It ensures environmental integrity, supports transparency, prevents double-counting, and aligns with the Climate Change (Amendment) Act, 2023 and Carbon Market Regulations, 2024.
The registry will also integrate with Kenya's upcoming National Carbon Registry, reinforcing the country's commitment to its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
The initiative is implemented through UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) and technical partner Conservation International, and represents a significant step toward an equitable, inclusive, and credible carbon market system in Kenya.
In addition to the registry, the Ministry also launched the Kenya REDD+ Nesting Guidelines—a policy tool providing a clear, consistent framework for integrating site-scale and jurisdictional REDD+ activities into the national carbon accounting system.
British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, said it was just four weeks since President William Ruto and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer agreed that Climate and Nature would be one of the four core priorities in the Kenya-UK Strategic Partnership.
"This registry is a powerful symbol of that partnership. It strengthens Kenya's leadership in carbon markets and supports our shared goal of enabling people and nature to thrive together," said Wigan.
Dr Seif Hamisi, Managing Director, Conservation International, East Africa, explained that the REDD+ Registry provides a unique opportunity for the country to move REDD+ implementation in Kenya forward.
"It sets Kenya apart as a country focused on transparency and accountability in the management of its REDD+ programme. Conservation International remains committed to supporting the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry in the successful implementation of the Registry," he noted.
As one of the few REDD+ registries globally, Kenya's platform sets a new benchmark for carbon credit transparency and verifiability. It opens up new opportunities for international investment, including from UK-based finance, technology, and climate service firms.
The UK, through UK PACT, will host the registry for an initial two-year period while the Ministry of Environment builds the necessary infrastructure and capacity to manage it locally. This platform will benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including the Ministry, the Kenya Forest Service and conservancies.
Kenya is the first African country to establish a deforestation-reduction registry and the second worldwide to launch a dedicated REDD+ emissions tracking system. This dual launch now enhances transparency and environmental integrity, preventing double-counting and supporting international verification.
It is also poised to unlock carbon market opportunities, including voluntary and compliance markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, while it supports equitable benefit-sharing, ensuring forest communities and Indigenous Peoples receive tangible rewards for conservation.
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