Zimbabwe has issued Article 6 carbon credits with Corresponding Adjustments (CAs) through the Gold Standard registry, marking a milestone for Africa in international carbon markets governed by the Paris Agreement.
The credits were generated by a clean cookstove project led by Cicada Carbon, a member of the Zimbabwe Carbon Association, local media has reported.
It is said to be the first private-sector initiative globally to receive the CA designation—an accounting mechanism that prevents double counting of emissions reductions by ensuring they are not claimed by both the host country and the buyer.
Approximately 112,000 credits from the project have been tagged with CAs, with up to 3 million credits projected over five years, as confirmed by Gold Standard.
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Under Zimbabwe’s Carbon Trading Regulations, one-third of the credits will be reserved as levies.
The development positions Zimbabwe to access compliance carbon markets, including the United Nations’ aviation offset program, CORSIA.
A technical review could make Cicada Carbon’s project only the second in the world to meet CORSIA eligibility after Guyana’s REDD+ project.
The move could offer a practical reference for other African nations looking to operationalize Article 6 mechanisms while retaining sovereign control over their emissions reductions.
While the long-term economic effects remain to be seen, this milestone reflects a broader shift toward stronger oversight and institutional maturity in regional carbon markets.
Its success, however, may depend on how effectively countries balance investor access with equitable benefit-sharing and alignment with national climate policies.
