Zimbabwe has moved to defend the integrity and eligibility of its carbon credits under the global aviation emissions framework, rejecting what authorities described as misleading claims questioning the country’s participation in international carbon markets.

In a statement issued on May 8, 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife said it had taken note of “recent misleading statements regarding the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation eligibility of duly generated and authorised Zimbabwean carbon credits.”

The ministry said the assertions were “not only demonstrably and categorically false, but present a direct attack on Africa’s development and climate ambitions.”

According to the ministry, Zimbabwe’s carbon units meet all eligibility requirements set under the International Civil Aviation Organization framework, including recent amendments adopted by the ICAO Council.

“The Ministry wishes to state clearly and unequivocally that the units in question meet all applicable CORSIA eligibility requirements,” the statement read.

Authorities explained that delays in recognising Zimbabwe’s credits stem from technical and regulatory interpretation differences rather than environmental or governance shortcomings.

“This delay does not stem from a lack of environmental integrity, but rather from a systemic regulatory misalignment between ICAO’s rigid technical interpretations, specifically the ‘continuous maintenance’ rule, and the sovereign tracking mechanisms required by the Paris Agreement,” the ministry said.

Government officials warned that the regulatory bottleneck risks undermining developing countries that have invested in climate-compliant systems aligned with global standards.

“We note with concern that this regulatory bottleneck severely prejudices Zimbabwe and the broader African continent, inadvertently penalising developing nations for building the exact robust, UNFCCC-aligned national tracking infrastructure required to execute Article 6 corresponding adjustments,” the ministry added.

The ministry also clarified that carbon units issued through the Gold Standard Impact Registry following Zimbabwe’s application of corresponding adjustments are legally distinct and fully compliant instruments.

It said the issuance of the credits occurred under the authority of Gold Standard after Zimbabwe completed all required procedures.

“The credits in question are fully valid Gold Standard Verified Emissions Reductions (GS-VERs), represented in their registry as unique, appropriately and uniquely issued following the completion of formalities by Zimbabwe,” the statement noted.

Zimbabwe further stressed that registry records accurately reflect the issuance of the credits and that Gold Standard has an obligation under CORSIA to label qualifying credits as eligible offsets.

Reaffirming confidence in its climate mitigation activities, the ministry said no concerns had been raised regarding the environmental integrity of Zimbabwe’s carbon programmes.

“Zimbabwe retains full confidence in the quality of its mitigation activities,” the statement said, adding that authorities “denounce any statements that distort Zimbabwean laws and policies and seek to artificially undermine confidence in legitimate carbon credits and market mechanisms.”

The government called on international carbon standards bodies, intermediaries and market participants to engage constructively and avoid circulating incomplete or misleading information.

“We call upon all independent carbon standards bodies, intermediaries and market participants to act responsibly, engage constructively, and refrain from disseminating incomplete or misleading claims,” the ministry said.

Zimbabwe reiterated its commitment to working with international partners, multilateral institutions and crediting programmes to ensure its carbon credits receive fair recognition in global markets.

“We are confident that such efforts will result in the swift and favourable resolution of the current impasse, delivering crucial climate finance to where it is most needed,” the statement said.

The ministry added that Zimbabwe would continue safeguarding the value of its environmental assets and its sovereign right to participate equitably in emerging climate finance mechanisms.