Morocco is moving towards structuring its international carbon market. Authorities are working on establishing a national regulatory framework governing the corresponding adjustments required by Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which is an essential condition for allowing international trade in carbon credits recognized multilaterally.
According to the specialized publication Carbon Pulse, the goal is to provide the Kingdom, before the end of the year, with a fully operational legal and accounting framework that guarantees the environmental integrity of emissions reductions transferred to third countries.
Corresponding Adjustments: The Key to Climate Credibility
At the core of the mechanism is the principle of corresponding adjustments, which aims to prevent any double counting of greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Specifically, when a project carried out in Morocco generates a carbon credit exported to another state, the Kingdom must remove that reduction from its own national inventory so that it is only counted once.
As Carbon Pulse emphasizes, these adjustments form the foundation of the environmental integrity of the Article 6 mechanism. Without clear rules, no transfer of mitigation results – known as ITMOs (Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes) – can be recognized by the international community.
The future Moroccan framework should clarify:
- The procedures for state authorization of projects,
- The rules for monitoring, reporting, and verification,
- As well as accounting traceability methods in line with UNFCCC decisions.
A Strategic Anticipation of Buyer Country Requirements
The Moroccan initiative responds to a clear evolution in the market. Buyer states of carbon credits now require comprehensive legal guarantees before engaging in bilateral agreements under Article 6. Without a formalized national framework, projects remain ineligible for the most structured international mechanisms.
By establishing this framework, Morocco positions itself as a credible host country, capable of offering a secure regulatory environment to international partners, whether they are state or institutional entities.
Morocco: An Early Player in Climate Cooperation
The Kingdom ranks among the countries that have shown early interest in the voluntary cooperation mechanisms of the Paris Agreement, particularly due to its potential in energy, industrial, and low-carbon transition projects.
The formalization of corresponding adjustments thus represents a decisive step in transforming this potential into tangible opportunities for climate cooperation, while maintaining the coherence of its national decarbonization trajectory.
Why It’s Strategic
- Without corresponding adjustments, no exportable carbon credit is recognized internationally.
- The legal framework becomes a lever for climate and financial attractiveness.
- Morocco anticipates post-Paris carbon market standards, which are stricter and more regulated.
- This approach enhances the Kingdom’s credibility in bilateral climate cooperations.
By structuring its regulatory framework now, Morocco is equipping itself to become a reliable player in the international carbon market, at the intersection of climate transition, environmental diplomacy, and economic attractiveness.
