Imagine purchasing honey from a local vendor. You’d want assurance that it’s pure, ethically sourced, and worth your money.
Similarly, in carbon markets, buyers seek confidence that the credits they acquire genuinely represent real, measurable, and verified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
This assurance is provided through a process known as MRV—measurement, reporting, and verification.
MRV is the systematic process that ensures transparency and credibility in carbon markets. It involves quantifying the amount of emissions reduced or removed by a project, documenting and communicating these measurements in a standardised format, and conducting independent assessments to confirm the accuracy of the reported data.
This triad ensures that each carbon credit corresponds to a genuine environmental benefit, thereby maintaining the integrity of carbon markets.
Kenya has established a robust institutional framework to oversee MRV processes.
The National Environment Management Authority (Nema), picked as the National Designated Authority, is responsible for approving and providing guidance on carbon projects, ensuring they align with national and international standards.
The Climate Change Directorate advises the government on carbon market activities and collaborates with stakeholders to implement policies effectively. Additionally, a Multi-Sectoral Technical Committee, comprising representatives from various sectors, including Kenya Electricity Generating Company, provides technical advice on carbon project assessments, ensuring alignment with international climate protocols.
The Climate Change (Carbon Markets) Regulations 2024 emphasise the importance of MRV in carbon trading.
These regulations mandate that project developers implement robust MRV systems to accurately track emissions reductions, report performance, and undergo independent verification. Such measures are crucial for maintaining the credibility of carbon offset projects and the carbon market.
Advancements in technology are streamlining MRV processes. Remote sensing and satellite imagery enable precise monitoring of large-scale projects, especially in forestry and agriculture.
Digital tools, such as mobile applications and cloud computing, are reducing the cost and time associated with MRV processes, making them more accessible to smaller projects.
MRV is the quality assurance mechanism in carbon markets, ensuring each credit traded represents a real and verified environmental benefit.
As Kenya continues to develop its carbon market framework, robust MRV systems will be essential in attracting investment, maintaining market integrity, and achieving climate goals.
By embracing technological advancements and strengthening institutional capacities, Kenya can position itself as a transparent and credible carbon trading leader.
The writer is a climate action enthusiast and a communications specialist at Windward Communications Consultancy
