On Thursday 20 February 2025, the Sofitel Hotel in Abidjan hosted a major preparatory workshop on voluntary carbon markets in Africa, organised by Environment for Development (EfD) and Africa Energy Transition Services (AETS).  

From 9am to 11am, private players and experts met to discuss the prospects and challenges of setting up a carbon market tailored to the realities of the continent. The meeting was part of the research project ‘Exploring the Potential and Challenges of Voluntary Carbon Markets in the Global South (2024-2026)’, a joint initiative by EfD, an international network dedicated to integrating environmental concerns into public policy, and AETS, a firm specialising in climate finance and technical support for projects with an environmental impact.  

The aim of the project is to measure the benefits of and obstacles to voluntary carbon markets in Africa, using a three-phase methodology based on several areas of analysis: identification of key players, examination of the institutional framework and assessment of the impacts, particularly on marginalised groups.

At the workshop, the AETS team in charge of the interviews in Côte d'Ivoire gave a practical presentation of the broad outlines of the project and the information-gathering protocol for stakeholders involved in initiatives such as afforestation, reforestation, revegetation and biochar production. The discussions enabled the participants to make relevant adjustments to the interview system and to suggest the addition of further profiles to enrich the analysis. The aim of this consultation phase was to ensure that the data collected was accurate and tailored to the challenges of the carbon market.

Beyond the simple technical presentation, the workshop also highlighted the strategic importance of a well-structured carbon market in Africa. By encouraging direct dialogue between experts and players on the ground, the initiative aims to mobilise climate financing and integrate innovative environmental solutions into sustainable development policies. The constructive feedback gathered provided a concrete vision of the challenges to be met and the levers to be activated to ensure the project's success.

This meeting, which was both technical and pragmatic, marked a decisive stage in the preparation of a voluntary carbon market in Africa. It illustrates AETS' commitment to supporting projects with a high environmental impact and to accompanying the transition to more sustainable practices, both nationally and internationally.