An information and exchange meeting organized by the Ministry of the Environment and Forest Resources, on June 27, 2023, focused on business opportunities related to carbon mechanisms and the new regulatory provisions adopted by decree in the Council of Ministers on March 15, 2023. The participants in this meeting are investors and developers based in Togo. The aim is to enlighten these economic operators on carbon credits. The meeting was opened by the Minister FOLI BAZI Katari of the Environment and Forest Resources supported in this process by his colleagues ADEDZE Kodjo in charge of industry and Ms. Kayi Rose MIVEDOR of investment promotion.

Climate change has effects that affect no sector of activity. These effects are growing and according to the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the situation is worrying. All countries must make commitments to reduce their emissions, so that the global temperature stays below 2° or even 1.5°C. A binding decision taken in accordance with article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Togo, which took an active part in COP 21 by signing this Agreement, committed itself to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions unconditionally by 20.6% and conditionally by 30.51% or 50.57% by 2030. To reach this rate, several actions contained in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) must be implemented. According to Minister FOLI BAZI, these are translated into the government roadmap through projects 35, 36 and reform 6, thus making it possible to strengthen the implementation of activities with a high potential for reducing greenhouse gases (GHG). This is not only to meet the commitments made to the international community, but also and above all to benefit from the advantages of carbon mechanisms. The mechanisms that now constitute a framework for the search for innovative solutions in the fight against climate change. One of the prerequisites in this search for solutions is Decree No. 034/PR of 15 March 2023 taken by the Council of Ministers, said Minister FOLI BAZI. It aims to regulate the implementation of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation initiatives, to oversee the implementation of NDCs, and also to encourage businesses to invest in GHG mitigation activities, said the minister.

For the occasion, it was presented by the Secretary General, Col. DIMIZOU Koffi in order to share its main lines in order to better edify the participants. This text, which will be supported by 8 orders, sets out the rules of carbon mechanisms in the framework of the implementation of greenhouse gas emissions mitigation activities. Other chapters on the governance of mechanisms, rights to mitigation results, certification of projects and programmes, and mechanisms for benefit-sharing and complaint management under REDD+ were well explained to economic operators.

This decree taken by the government was welcomed by the World Bank expert in carbon mechanisms, Matthieu WEMAERE. He believes that it will allow the government to identify eligible activities, to attract foreign investors but also to engage the Togolese private sector to take an interest in new technologies, to do reforestation with a return on investment by selling the “carbon product” obtained by selling the “carbon product” obtained to a buying country, to a private company or even to an airline.

During the exchanges, several companies shared their societal responsibilities (CSR).