On 20 November 2025, Zambia, through the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE), signed a Bilateral Implementation Agreement with Switzerland, represented by the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC), under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The signing took place during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, with support from the Supporting Preparedness for Article 6 Cooperation (SPAR6C) program. This marks Zambia’s third Bilateral Agreement under Article 6, following previous agreements with Norway and Sweden at COP29 in Baku.
The agreement reflects Zambia’s commitment to global climate action and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening the enabling environment for carbon trading. The country passed the Green Economy and Climate Change Act 2024, providing a legal framework to mitigate and adapt to climate change, domesticate the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and implement the Paris Agreement. Zambia also has a Carbon Market Framework in place and is finalizing a Statutory Instrument on Carbon Markets.
During the ceremony, Hon. Mike Mposha, Minister of Green Economy and Environment, highlighted that the Carbon Market Secretariat has received numerous submissions for climate mitigation activities since the enactment of the Green Economy and Climate Change Act. He said the partnership with Switzerland will support the implementation of high-quality climate projects and contribute to achieving Zambia’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The Bilateral Agreement will allow Switzerland to implement CO2 emission reduction projects in Zambia and allocate the results toward its reduction targets. Minister Albert Rösti of DETEC noted that the agreement sets the foundation for international climate projects that comply with environmental protection standards and respect human rights.
The agreement also establishes a framework for negotiating the purchase of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) through a Mitigation Outcome Purchase Agreement (MOPA). The SPAR6C program, led by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) with GFA Consulting Group and the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, has supported Zambia in preparing for Article 6 carbon transactions.
This milestone reinforces Zambia’s leadership in climate action and sustainable development, promoting low-carbon initiatives and attracting investment in the country’s climate mitigation activities.