Kenya and Switzerland sign carbon credit trade deal

May 11, 2025

Kenya and Switzerland have signed an implementing pact under the Paris Agreement to collaborate on carbon emissions reductions through carbon credit trading. This pact, signed by Kenya’s Ministry of Environment will facilitate the transfer of high-integrity carbon credits and promote green investment.

  • The pact is good news for conservation in Africa because it expands the carbon credit market with clearly stated rules of operation and collaboration.

  • Similar agreements exist with other African nations, such as Ghana, Senegal, and Malawi, providing a legal framework for trading emission reductions with Switzerland.

  • Our take: Carbon markets in Africa are evolving through legal frameworks like the Verified Carbon Standard and Gold Standard, which ensure the integrity of offsets…Read more (2 min)

Innocent Omil, founder of Eco Sanctify in Kenya, explains how biodiversity credits work, their potential in Africa, and the risks of leaving nature without a price. “Biodiversity credits are about valuing nature in a way that encourages protection over exploitation,” he says in an exclusive interview with Conservation Rising.

  • Africa is losing its biodiversity at alarming rates. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warns that 6,400 animals and 3,100 plant speciess on the continent are at risk of extinction. Home to roughly a quarter of the world's mammal and bird species, scientists say its biodiversity loss poses a threat to millions of livelihoods on the continent.

  • Biodiversity credits are a potential economic tool used to finance conservation and restoration activities. However, according to The Nature Conservancy, an additional $598 to $824 billion annually is needed to reverse the biodiversity crisis by 2030. 

  • Find the full conversation here…Read more (2 min)

Tanzania has launched a $12 million project to boost marine conservation in coastal regions. Funded by the European Union, this initiative aims to benefit over 500,000 people by promoting local community involvement and restoring degraded ecosystems. It will create 360 entrepreneurs and 15 plastic waste ventures.

  • A continental shift towards greater involvement of local communities in conservation projects is now routinely feeding through to the frontlines. But the methods still differ greatly. 

  • The Pamoja Tuhifadhi Bahari Yetu project seeks to engage communities through a structured grants mechanism targeting local civil society groups, associations, and professional organisations.

  • Our take: Community funding for conservation promotes local ownership, addresses specific needs, and empowers communities while simultaneously protecting biodiversity and natural resources…Read more (2 min)

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Community and crane species benefit from Kwamkhize’s water project in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Events

🗓️ Attend the International Congress for Conservation Biology in Australia (June 15)

🗓️ Register for the International Conference on Environment in South Africa (May 22)

Jobs

👷Be an Associate Environmental Analyst at NYS Department of Agriculture (Liberia)

👷Become the next Programme Assistant at UNEP (Kenya)

Various 

💰 Apply for the Ford Environmental Grants Program for biodiversity conservation

💰 Apply for EU Green Funding for nature and biodiversity conservation projects

Seen on LinkedIn 

Zita Wilks, an Alternate Board Member at Green Climate Fund, says, “We should rethink how Africa’s ecosystems—our forests, oceans, biodiversity, and communities—are viewed and valued in global climate finance architecture. These are not passive assets but active contributions to global climate stability.”

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