Decree No. 2022-698 establishes the procedures for registering carbon projects within the country. The Autorité d'Enregistrement des Projets Carbone (AEPC), or Carbon Project Registration Authority, is the government institution responsible for overseeing the implementation of this decree. The AEPC's mission includes promoting carbon projects, ensuring compliance with relevant norms and standards, and facilitating the registration and monitoring of these projects.
Project registration
All new carbon project developers in Benin must submit a registration request to the Autorité d’Enregistrement at least three weeks before submitting their validation report to a greenhouse gas certification program or relevant carbon standard. The request must include all required documentation for review.
Projects already certified or in the certification process when the decree was adopted must apply for registration within two months of its adoption.
The project document submitted for validation must include the following elements:
- Project description and development timeline
- Geographic area covered by the project
- Chosen greenhouse gas certification program or carbon standard
- Applied methodology
- Identification of stakeholders, including local communities, investors, and project developers
- Description of economic and social co-benefits
- Estimated greenhouse gas reductions and removals during the crediting period
- Proof of property rights or agreements with property owners related to the mitigation activity
- Stakeholder consultation details, including consent from local populations and communities
- Government authorizations, including environmental impact assessments and permits, if necessary
- Demonstration of project alignment with the Paris Agreement, Benin's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and relevant goals.
Carbon rights
- Beninese citizens, communities, and registered entities have the right to participate in the carbon market, including proposing and developing projects.
- All carbon credits generated by projects in Benin are sovereign assets.
- The state can assign or transfer carbon rights to private developers.
- The terms for transferring or conceding carbon rights will be set by a decree from the Minister of Finance, based on a proposal from the Autorité d'Enregistrement.
Participation in Article 6
- The government of Benin decides, at its discretion, to participate in mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement to achieve emission reduction and other sustainable environmental goals.
- Private entities may be authorized to participate in these mechanisms after approval, based on criteria and guarantees set by the government.
- Emission reductions from carbon projects in Benin will contribute to the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
- The government will assess scenarios for applying corresponding adjustments in line with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, including relevant procedures, rules, and conditions.
