The Africa Sovereign Carbon Registry Foundation is urging African nations to exercise their right to collect carbon contributions under the “polluter pays” principle. This call to action was made at the second Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, where the foundation received official endorsement from the African Union. The summit highlighted Africa’s need for climate justice, noting that the continent is heavily affected by climate change despite contributing only a small percentage of global greenhouse‑gas emissions.
According to Paul Sébastien, an international carbon‑markets expert and member of the foundation, the key takeaways from the summit include the need for agile climate‑finance solutions and the importance of the “polluter pays” principle. Reaffirmed by the 2015 Paris Agreement, this principle allows sovereign states to require major greenhouse‑gas emitters to contribute to local climate‑adaptation or mitigation efforts.
The foundation is promoting Sovereign Carbon Initiatives that enable African countries to collect carbon contributions from international polluters in the maritime and aviation sectors. Djibouti, where the foundation was established, has been collecting these contributions since 2023 and has already funded around 50 adaptation projects, including solar‑powered desalination units, ecological programs, and biodiversity‑protection initiatives. Other countries, such as Gabon, are following suit, and the foundation is engaging with additional African nations to familiarize them with this mechanism.
The International Maritime Organization’s proposed global maritime tax, slated for a vote next month, has sparked debate. While the foundation supports the ambition of a harmonized international carbon‑pricing mechanism, it defends the right of African states to receive and manage part of these funds sovereignly. The foundation seeks to collaborate with the IMO and industry stakeholders to define a common approach that aligns with their objectives and respects climate‑justice principles and Africa’s sovereignty.
Because the IMO mechanism would not take effect before 2028, the Sovereign Carbon Initiatives promoted by the foundation offer a bridge solution, enabling countries to generate funding almost immediately. This development is significant, as it allows African nations to take proactive steps toward addressing their climate emergencies and promoting climate justice.
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