The Democratic Republic of the Congo has signed an ordinance-law establishing a legal framework for its carbon market, including a national registry described as sovereign and authentic. The law, signed on September 7, 2026, aims to bring Article 6 of the Paris Agreement into domestic law and regulate voluntary carbon activities. It addresses a longstanding gap where Congolese carbon credits sold for about USD 5 per tonne under a World Bank program, while Article 6 bilateral credits traded near USD 40 per tonne in 2025. The registry will be built on a digital platform called Lumière Credit Carbon Plateform, a joint venture with TRST01, an AI climate intelligence firm. The government agency ARMCA will oversee the market. The law's preamble frames DRC as a solution country due to its forests and minerals. Implementing texts are pending, and the registry is expected to be presented at COP31 in November 2026. The success of this initiative hinges on whether the registry can boost buyer verification and actually capture more value from Congolese carbon assets.
