Development of roadmaps for forest carbon markets in the Congo Basin Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon

Context of the service

SalvaTerra and ONFI have been mandated by the World Bank to support six countries in the Congo Basin (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea) in strengthening their preparedness for carbon markets and climate finance. Despite their HFLD status, which gives them a strategic role in global climate regulation, these countries struggle to access international financial mechanisms that are commensurate with their conservation efforts. The objective of the mission is to develop national roadmaps and a regional roadmap, aligning legal, technical and institutional frameworks with the provisions of the Paris Agreement, in particular Articles 5, 6 and 9. The intervention aims to structure a credible and coherent offer in terms of forest carbon credits, while integrating issues related to HFLD credits, biodiversity and social co-benefits.

Services provided

The mission includes an in-depth assessment of existing mechanisms in each of the six countries, including REDD+ frameworks, MRV systems, inter-agency governance, land tenure, and benefit-sharing mechanisms. This first phase identifies gaps that need to be closed in order to operationalize national climate commitments and include them in the carbon cooperation mechanisms of the Paris Agreement. Based on this, SalvaTerra and ONFI have developed country-specific roadmaps, making concrete recommendations for legal reforms, technical structuring and capacity building. A regional roadmap summarises common priorities. The mission also foresees multi-stakeholder workshops and targeted consultations, in order to facilitate political buy-in, identify potential financial partners and lay the foundations for future investment operations.

Summary of the service

Strengthening access to climate finance and carbon markets in six low-deforestation forest countries in the Congo Basin. The mission combines a diagnosis of existing mechanisms, the development of national and regional roadmaps, and the mobilization of stakeholders around strategic reforms. Project led by the World Bank, implemented by SalvaTerra in consortium with ONFI.