Annoh-Dompreh Calls For Robust Carbon Market Framework

Mr. Speaker, I am indeed happy that Ghana has taken important early steps to position itself in the emerging global carbon credit market. Through the Ghana Carbon Market Office, hosted by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the country has established a national institutional framework to support (i) Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, (ii) voluntary carbon market activities, (iii) mitigation activity development, (iv) the authorisation, monitoring, reporting and verification of carbon projects, and (v) registry operations and corresponding adjustments. This represents a significant national opportunity.

The benefits of a properly managed carbon market are not lost on us, and we have already begun recording dozens of mitigation activities across the energy, agriculture, forestry and transportation sectors. This demonstrates that Ghana is not starting from scratch. The foundations are already in place.

The carbon credit market must not be treated merely as a trading platform for emissions reductions. It must be regarded as a national development instrument. Ghana’s approach must be guided by one central principle: delivering real national value through genuine emissions reductions, tangible community benefits and increased private-sector investment.

The first step the government must take is to strengthen policy clarity and regulatory certainty. All stakeholders and participants need to understand the rules. The institutional framework already exists through the Carbon Market Office and the Ghana Carbon Registry. The next step is to make the rules simpler, faster and more predictable. Approval processes must be transparent, timelines must be clear, fees must be reasonable, and the distinction between Article 6 transactions, voluntary carbon market projects and non-authorised domestic carbon activities must be clearly communicated.

Second, the government must protect Ghana’s national interest in every carbon transaction. Carbon credits are not ordinary commodities. They are linked to Ghana’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), international reporting obligations, community assets, land rights, biodiversity and future development opportunities. The government must therefore ensure that the authorisation of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes does not weaken Ghana’s ability to meet its own climate commitments. We must not sell cheaply today what we may need tomorrow to achieve our own NDC targets.

Ghana must also insist on high-integrity carbon credits. The global carbon market has faced credibility challenges arising from weak projects, inflated claims, double counting, inadequate community consultation and questionable additionality. Ghana must not become a destination for low-quality carbon projects. Every project must demonstrate environmental integrity and transparent benefit-sharing.

This reinforces the government’s commitment to placing communities at the centre of carbon market initiatives. Many carbon projects depend on land, forests, farms and community practices. These are not abstract assets but resources owned and managed by communities, farmers, households, traditional authorities and private actors. Carbon projects should therefore proceed with proper stakeholder engagement, free and informed community participation, clear grievance mechanisms and fair benefit-sharing arrangements.

Ghana must also build a strong domestic project pipeline. The government should deliberately prioritise high-impact sectors, including renewable energy, methane reduction, landfill gas management, regenerative agriculture, forest restoration, mangrove protection, climate-smart irrigation, public transport, industrial energy efficiency and water purification. These sectors can reduce emissions while addressing critical national development challenges. Carbon financing should therefore be aligned with Ghana’s job creation agenda, food security agenda, energy transition strategy and local economic development priorities.

Mr. Speaker, the government must also build national capacity. Carbon market development requires specialised expertise in project design, carbon accounting, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV), legal contracting, Article 6 authorisation, registry management, financial structuring and community benefit-sharing, among other areas. Ghana should not rely excessively on foreign consultants. Instead, the country must train Ghanaian experts, universities, private firms, district assemblies, non-governmental organisations and financial institutions to participate meaningfully in the market. A National Carbon Finance Academy, linked to the Carbon Market Office, universities and the private sector, should be established.

Furthermore, the Ghana Carbon Registry must be strengthened. It should accurately and promptly track mitigation activities, issuances, transfers, cancellations, retirements, authorisations and corresponding adjustments. The registry should be digital, transparent, secure, regularly updated, and integrated with Ghana’s national greenhouse gas inventory and NDC accounting system.

The government must also improve coordination among the key institutions involved in the carbon market. The existing governance architecture, comprising the Ministry of Environment, the EPA, the Carbon Market Office, the Inter-Ministerial Committee, the Carbon Market Committee and the Technical Advisory Committee, is important. These institutions must be adequately resourced and politically supported to carry out their responsibilities effectively and in a coordinated manner. Carbon market decisions should not remain pending for months.

Mr. Speaker, Ghana must also use carbon markets to attract investment. The country should welcome credible investors who bring technology, finance and long-term partnerships while avoiding projects that lack sustainable financing, technical capacity or viable implementation plans. In doing so, Ghana can position itself as a regional leader in Africa’s carbon market. We already have an institutional framework, several bilateral cooperation arrangements and a growing pipeline of carbon projects.

Although the carbon credit market presents significant opportunities for Ghana, it also carries risks. If poorly managed, it could lead to confusion, speculation, unfair contracts and the loss of national value. If properly governed, however, it can position Ghana as a leader in Africa’s green transition.

Our national position should therefore be clear: Ghana is open to carbon market investment, but only on terms that protect environmental integrity, safeguard national interests, uphold community rights and promote long-term sustainable development.

I thank you, Mr. Speaker.
This statement was delivered by the Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, on July 2, 2026.