The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism is preparing to submit a draft Carbon Markets and Trading Policy to Cabinet, following completed consultations and stakeholder validation.
“Consultation and validation with stakeholders were done and the draft to be presented to Cabinet very soon,” said Environment Minister Indileni Daniel.
This crucial policy details Namibia’s strategy for carbon trading under the Paris Agreement and establishes the necessary regulatory framework for carbon credit standards, measurement, reporting, verification systems, and trading with international markets.
The policy is part of a broader legislative push aimed at strengthening the country’s environmental and tourism frameworks in the 2025-2026 financial year.
The ministry during a recent, Cabinet Committee Briefing outlined a full slate of laws, regulations and policies either under review or in development.
Among these is the long-awaited Tourism Bill, which is still in its early stages. “A consultant to be appointed to assist with the development of this bill during the second quarter,” Daniel said.
The 2008 Tourism Policy is also undergoing revision. “It has commenced with development of the draft,” she noted.
Similarly, the ministry has begun internal consultation on the review of the 2007 Wildlife and Tourism Concession Policy, with stakeholder engagement to follow.
Daniel confirmed progress on the amendment of the Forest Act and its regulations. “Public consultations are done and the ministry is busy considering the comments and input in order to finalise this draft for submission to Cabinet,” she said.
Additional items in the pipeline include Strategic Environmental Assessment regulations, with a consultant still to be appointed, and new sand and gravel mining regulations, which have already reached the draft stage and will undergo public consultations this quarter.
The ministry is also finalising a national policy on prospecting and mining in protected areas. “The public consultation and validation is underway to be concluded this month,” said Daniel.
Other policies under review include the 2010 Devil’s Claw Utilisation Policy and the National Strategy for Forestry and Botanic Research, both currently in internal consultation phases.
Daniel said the suite of policy work supports the ministry’s mandate as outlined in Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution, which calls for sustainable use of natural resources to benefit both present and future generations.
