Mozambique gets $6M from carbon credit sale as deforestation and certification gaps persist

Mozambique has received more than $6 million from a carbon credit transaction, according to officials speaking at the Climate Finance Forum in Maputo. The sale is one of the country's first concrete returns from forest-based carbon markets, but experts warn that illegal logging, weak enforcement, and low-tech farming practices still undercut the credibility of its credits. The government says it is working on integrated approaches that pair forestry with agriculture, since clearing land for rudimentary farming remains a major driver of deforestation. Officials also want to avoid a contradiction where the country sells forest credits while forests keep shrinking. That contradiction, they say, would depress prices and damage Mozambique's position in international markets. Next steps include a national project portfolio to mobilize climate finance and possible debt-for-nature swaps. The immediate test is whether Mozambique can turn a one-off $6 million payment into a lasting revenue stream without curbing the pressures that cause deforestation in the first place.