Beyond Offsets: What Africa Needs to Build Trust in Carbon Removal Markets
Trust is the currency of carbon markets, and it is in short supply. Years of overstated claims, opaque methodologies, and uneven community outcomes have left buyers and policymakers wary. For carbon removal to play a meaningful role in Africa’s climate future, rebuilding trust must come first.
One reason carbon removal faces skepticism is complexity. Concepts like durability, additionality, and monitoring can feel abstract, even to informed audiences. Yet credibility depends on making these ideas concrete. Durability asks a simple question: once carbon is removed, how long does it stay out of the atmosphere? For engineered solutions, the answer must align with the centuries‑long lifespan of CO₂ itself.
Measurement is another fault line. High‑quality MRV systems distinguish real climate impact from modeled assumptions. Sensors, lab testing, conservative estimates, and buffer mechanisms help manage uncertainty. Crucially, transparency about what is measured versus what is projected prevents erosion of confidence.
But technical rigor alone is not enough. Carbon removal projects operate in real places, among real people. Communities judge success not by carbon tons, but by livelihoods, land health, and dignity. Projects that prioritize carbon revenue over local value inevitably face resistance.
Local ownership is a powerful corrective. When materials are sourced locally, facilities employ local talent, and benefits flow visibly into communities, projects gain legitimacy. Employment, skills training, and support for local enterprises often matter more than abstract revenue‑sharing formulas.
Africa also needs clearer demand signals. Today, most carbon removal credits are purchased in voluntary markets, where demand is inconsistent. Governments and corporates tend to focus on emissions reduction targets, leaving removals under‑valued. Explicit targets for carbon removal—paired with high standards—would unlock investment while discouraging low‑quality supply.
Africa has the ingredients to lead including clean energy, geological storage potential, biomass, and human capital. The challenge is governance. Setting rules that reward integrity, not speed.
Carbon removal will only earn its place in Africa’s climate strategy if it is credible in measurement, fair in practice, and grounded in local realities. Trust is not built through promises. It is built through proof.