Gvt Overhauls Carbon Market with New Regulations, Digital Registry

By Takudzwa Tondoya

The Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife has officially announced sweeping reforms to the country’s carbon trading framework through the gazetting of the Carbon Trading (General) Regulations, 2025 under Statutory Instrument 48 of 2025.

The changes include the repeal of previous rules, the creation of a new regulatory authority, and the operationalisation of a blockchain-based carbon registry.

“These Regulations have, amongst many things, repealed the Carbon Trading (General) Regulations, 2023 Statutory Instrument 150 of 2023 (and all its Amendments) and established the Zimbabwe Carbon Markets Authority (ZiCMA) as the designated regulatory body,” said the ministry in a statement released Thursday.

The new measures are aimed at positioning Zimbabwe as a serious player in the global Compliance Carbon Market by aligning national systems with international climate commitments under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

As part of the overhaul, the government has published the National Article 6 Policy Framework and Implementation Plan, providing strategic guidance for future carbon market activities.

“In May 2025, President, Dr. E.D. Mnangagwa, launched a dynamic blockchain-based Zimbabwe Carbon Registry, marking a significant milestone in the operationalisation of the national carbon market,” said the ministry.

The registry is now the official digital portal through which all carbon project developers must submit their applications.

The Ministry highlighted that project submissions previously made under the 2023 regulations must now be resubmitted through the Zimbabwe Carbon Market Digital Application Platform in accordance with Clause 15.

“This resubmission is essential to enable ZiCMA to proceed with the adjudication and approval processes of the Projects. Failure to comply with this requirement by the stated deadline will render the respective project applications Null and Void,” the ministry warned.