The paper analyses the potential of Carbon markets, particularly the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM), to offer a transformative opportunity to bridge the Climate Financing gap in Africa. While dominant project types—such as nature-based solutions and community energy efficiency—hold significant potential, they are challenged by integrity concerns, unequal benefit sharing, and non-African developer dominance.
For carbon markets to succeed in Africa, strategic and coordinated action is essential. This requires ensuring fair community benefit-sharing, strengthening national regulatory frameworks, and building domestic technical capacity. By addressing these priorities, African nations can harness carbon finance to drive sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient development.
