By Abbas Nazil
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced its decision to partner with the upcoming Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS), set to take place in Johannesburg from October 22 to 23, 2025, as part of its mission to unlock Africa’s potential in high-integrity carbon markets and climate finance.
Maxwell Gomera, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa and Director of the Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, expressed the urgency of addressing Africa’s energy and climate challenges, lamenting that despite global technological progress, many rural communities still lack access to clean cooking energy.
He stated that carbon markets could serve as a transformative tool to mobilize financing for sustainable development while ensuring fair economic benefits across the continent.
Gomera said the UNDP is collaborating with African governments to develop policies that enable equitable participation in carbon markets, thereby advancing both the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The summit, hosted by UNDP, will gather policymakers, investors, and climate innovators from across the continent to discuss ways of strengthening Africa’s carbon market ecosystem.
According to Gomera, “Africa no longer waits for promises to be kept—we act.
Carbon markets can unlock billions in finance and accelerate resilience and prosperity.”
The CMAS event will include masterclasses and expert panels on carbon market frameworks, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and nature-based solutions.
Speakers such as Sandra Lindström of the Swedish Energy Agency and UNDP’s Bernardin Uzayisaba will discuss Africa’s evolving carbon market policies and private sector engagement.
The summit aims to move Africa from potential to implementation by creating a unified, action-driven approach to sustainable finance and environmental innovation.
