DRC Establishes the Lumière Carbon Registry — What Project Developers Need to Know

The Democratic Republic of Congo — the planet's second green lung and the most consequential country for global REDD+ supply — formally established its carbon market governance framework in June 2026. The Congolese government enacted legislation creating the Lumière National Carbon Registry and a Carbon Market Regulatory Authority with supervisory and enforcement powers. The law also establishes the rules governing the negotiation of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

What the Legal Framework Creates

The new framework formally defines the procedures through which DRC-based carbon projects can obtain government authorization to transfer credits internationally. The absence of a legally defined registry and regulatory body had until now been a persistent barrier for developers seeking Letters of Authorization (LoAs) — a prerequisite for both CORSIA insurance coverage and Article 6.2 compliance.

For the 71 active REDD+ concessions covering 17.7 million hectares (as of 30 June 2026), and the 61 carbon projects registered or in the process of registration in the DRC, this framework represents a potential unblocking — provided it is implemented consistently and transparently.

The Warning Signal

Not everyone is celebrating. The Renewed REDD+ Climate Working Group (GTCRR), a local NGO, has called for a suspension of the legislative process. Their position paper warns that the current text was developed without adequate consultation with provinces, local communities, indigenous peoples, project developers, or technical partners. The GTCRR cautions that institutional fragmentation and a lack of transparency could push investors toward more stable African jurisdictions — reducing carbon capital flows into the DRC and undermining financing for its own Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).

Additionally, the DRC is targeting November 2026 for publication of its Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) — the UN-linked document that opens the insurance pathway to the CORSIA market for most Congolese projects. Major insurers, including Oka, have excluded the DRC due to existing sanctions, making the BTR the primary route to market for the majority of developers.

France's Engagement

Against this backdrop, France and the DRC signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2026 to launch the Z3D programme (Zero Deforestation and Degradation for Development), funded by the Agence Française de Développement and inscribed within France's commitments under the Belém Call for Congo Basin forests — a declaration launched at COP30.

The DRC remains a frontier market: extraordinary potential, real implementation risks. Investors who can navigate both will find unique opportunities on the continent.

Related: REDD+ from Congo Basin to East Africa: A Regional Forest Credit Market