CO2.ke
CARBON MARKETS • KENYA

Africa's carbon

starts in Kenya

Kenya is among Africa's first nations to establish a national carbon market framework. The Rift Valley forests, Maasai Mara savannas, and coastal mangroves represent an unmatched carbon opportunity.

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26M
Hectares of forest
40+
Registered projects
$12
Avg price / tCO₂
2050
Net-zero target
WHAT ARE CARBON CREDITS

The Fundamentals of Carbon Markets

One tree, one credit, one future

A carbon credit certifies that one metric tonne of CO₂ has been removed from or prevented from entering the atmosphere. Governments, corporations, and investors purchase these credits to meet their climate commitments.

01

Plant & Protect

New trees are planted or existing forests are protected from deforestation.

02

Measure CO₂

Experts verify and quantify the carbon stored in the ecosystem.

03

Certify

Bodies like Verra or Gold Standard certify and issue the credits.

04

Trade

Credits are sold on international voluntary or compliance markets.

Why This Matters for Kenya

Kenya holds unique carbon potential from its forests, savannas, and coastal habitats. This means new revenue streams for government and rural communities while protecting irreplaceable ecosystems.

How It Works

From Forest to Verified Credit.

A carbon credit begins with land. It ends with internationally verified, tradeable certificates of climate impact. Here's every step in between.

01

Land Assessment & Eligibility

4–8 weeks

A site visit and satellite analysis determine whether the land qualifies — assessing forest cover, deforestation pressure, carbon density, and tenure security. Most forest and grassland areas in Kenya qualify.

02

Baseline & Project Design

3–6 months

A scientific baseline establishes how much carbon the land currently stores, and how much it would lose without the project. This becomes the foundation of the Project Design Document (PDD) submitted to Verra or Gold Standard.

03

Independent Verification

6–12 months

An accredited third-party auditor validates the project methodology, carbon measurements, and community benefit structure. This independent verification is what gives the credits their market value.

04

Registry Registration & Credit Issuance

1–3 months

The verified project is listed on the Verra or Gold Standard public registry. Carbon credits — each representing one tonne of CO₂ — are issued as serial-numbered units that can be tracked, traded, and retired.

05

Sale & Community Revenue

Ongoing

Credits are sold to corporate buyers offsetting their emissions. Revenue flows directly to the project: covering operational costs, funding conservation activities, and distributing income to local landowners and communities.

Do you own forest or farmland in Kenya?

We assess eligibility at no cost. Our Mount Kenya project (VCS 3321) shows what's possible — 15,000 ha, validated in 12 months.

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WHY KENYA

Kenya: East Africa's Carbon Powerhouse

Rich land, rewarding future

Kenya possesses the most diverse ecosystems in East Africa — from the Rift Valley rainforests to Maasai Mara savannas and the Indian Ocean mangrove coast.

Legal Framework

Kenya has clear climate legislation and carbon market policies in place.

Rift Valley Forests

Unique highland forests storing significant carbon and biodiversity.

Maasai Mara Savannas

Vast savanna ecosystems eligible for carbon credit generation.

Coastal Mangroves

Blue carbon mangroves storing more CO₂ per hectare than terrestrial forests.

Community Models

Africa's leading example of community-based carbon project participation.

Climate Finance

International climate finance reaching smallholder farmers and communities.

The Market Opportunity

Demand Is Growing. Kenya Is Ready.

Kenya ranks #3 in Africa for registered carbon projects and was among the first countries to establish a Carbon Markets Authority. The infrastructure for international credit sales is already in place.

$12–50
Per tonne CO₂ (current market)
High-integrity nature-based credits
$1.5T
Projected market by 2050
BloombergNEF, McKinsey
40+
Registered VCS projects in Kenya
Verra Registry 2024
15×
Market growth forecast by 2030
Taskforce on Scaling VCMs
🏢

Corporate Net-Zero Commitments

Over 9,000 companies worldwide have committed to Science-Based Targets. High-integrity carbon credits are the primary tool for addressing residual emissions that cannot be eliminated through operational changes.

🏛️

Government NDC Delivery

Kenya's Paris Agreement NDC commits to a 32% emissions reduction. Carbon credit projects generate the verified data and revenue streams that make NDC commitments deliverable in practice.

📋

Mandatory Climate Disclosure

TCFD, CSRD, and SEC climate rules are making emissions reporting mandatory for large companies. Kenya's clear Article 6 framework makes internationally transferable credits a strong option for institutional buyers.

Certification & Verification

Kenya's Carbon Credits Meet the World's Highest Standards

Every project we register is independently verified by internationally recognised certification bodies.

VCS40+ Kenya projects

Verra Verified Carbon Standard

The world's most widely used voluntary carbon standard, used by 40+ registered Kenyan projects generating high-integrity nature-based credits.

GSSDG co-benefits

Gold Standard

Premium certification ensuring measurable sustainable development co-benefits for Kenyan communities alongside verified carbon reductions.

CCBBiodiversity verified

Climate, Community & Biodiversity

Additional certification verifying that projects deliver net positive impacts on Kenya's unique ecosystems and local communities.

A6Kenya pioneered A6

Article 6 — Paris Agreement

Kenya was one of the first African nations to ratify Article 6 provisions, enabling sovereign carbon credit exports under the Paris Agreement.

VM0047Used in VCS 3321

Afforestation, Reforestation & Revegetation

The Verra VCS methodology powering the Mount Kenya project — the same framework used globally for community-based tree planting carbon projects with science-based carbon measurement.

NDC32% reduction target

National Determined Contribution

Kenya's enhanced 2030 NDC commits to 32% emission reduction, creating strong government alignment for voluntary and compliance carbon market development.

GEG KENYA PROJECTS

Kenya's Carbon Projects

Green Earth Group's registered and pipeline carbon projects in Kenya.

Agroforestry

Mount Kenya Regenerative Agroforestry

Green Earth Group's registered Verra VCS project (VCS 3321). 15,000 hectares of highland restoration with smallholder farmers under methodology VM0047. Validated October 2024, first credits 2027.

Clean Energy

Hongera Energy Efficient Cookstoves

Gold Standard certified cookstove project (GS 12033) replacing open-fire cooking with efficient stoves across Kenyan households — reducing indoor air pollution and carbon emissions simultaneously.

Pipeline

Stoves for Schools

Pipeline project bringing energy-efficient cookstoves to Kenyan schools, reducing both emissions and firewood costs for education institutions.

Pipeline

Coastal Blue Carbon

Scoping underway for coastal mangrove and tidal wetland carbon projects along Kenya's Indian Ocean coastline under VM0033.

Registered Project

Mount Kenya Regenerative Agroforestry Project

Green Earth Group's registered Verra VCS project — reforesting Kenya's highland slopes with smallholder farmers.

VM0047 — AgroforestryRegisteredVerra VCS registered — VCS 3321
Mount Kenya & Aberdare Regions, Central Kenya

The Mount Kenya Regenerative Agroforestry Project is a registered Verra VCS project (ID: 3321) developed by Green Earth Group N.V., validated in October 2024. Across 15,000 hectares of Mount Kenya and Aberdare highland slopes, the project works directly with Kenyan smallholder farming communities to restore degraded forest land through agroforestry — planting native trees alongside food crops to simultaneously rebuild carbon stocks and improve rural livelihoods.

RegistryVerra VCS — Project ID 3321
MethodologyVM0047 — Afforestation, Reforestation & Revegetation
Project Area15,000 ha (growing to 40,000 ha)
Annual Credits64,286 tCO₂e / year (191,805 at full scale)
DeveloperGreen Earth Group N.V.
Validation DateOctober 2024

Project Impact

64K
tCO₂e verified per year
15K
Hectares under restoration
2027
First credit issuance
40K
Target hectares by 2028
Request Project DetailsView VCS 3321 on Verra Registry ↗
CONTACT

Start the Conversation

We partner with governments, investors, landowners, and project developers across Kenya.

Government & Counties

Carbon policy support and NDC implementation assistance.

International Investors

Investment opportunities in Kenya's verified carbon credits.

Landowners

Turn your land into a source of sustainable carbon revenue.

Project Developers

Technical support and access to international carbon markets.