Executive summary

Guinea is emerging as a potential market for blue carbon projects, but it remains at an early stage of development. Two mangrove projects are currently under development under Verra’s standard, alongside three other nature-based carbon projects. This signals growing interest and early momentum, but the lack of registered projects underscores that the market remains nascent and evolving.

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Guinea’s regulatory framework for nature-based carbon projects is still evolving. The country does not yet have specific rules for voluntary carbon market participation, nor does it require dedicated project authorization or registration in a national registry. In practice, some developers have secured government letters of support, but there is no standardized approval process. At the same time, the government is developing new regulations to define market procedures, institutional roles, and benefit-sharing rules; however, the draft was not publicly available at the time of writing, limiting clarity for developers, communities, and investors. In the interim, projects must comply with existing environmental regulations, particularly the Environmental Impact Assessment process. 

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Social safeguards and benefit-sharing are partially addressed by existing laws. The Forest Code requires stakeholder consultation, community participation, and equitable sharing of benefits, providing a baseline for inclusive project design. The framework also supports participatory approaches aligned with Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles. However, it remains unclear whether these benefit-sharing principles will be incorporated into the forthcoming carbon market procedures. In parallel, Guinea does not yet require Measuring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems for carbon projects, although its latest NDC signals plans to establish a national MRV framework.

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Land tenure in mangrove areas is complex and shapes project feasibility. Mangroves within the maritime public domain belong to the State, while those outside may be owned by the State, private actors, or communities. The framework allows project development through ownership, concessions, leaseholds, or co-management. In practice, most mangroves fall within the maritime domain, so developers must secure State authorization. The lack of a unified concession process and clear timelines creates uncertainty and potential delays. Guinea does not define carbon rights as a distinct legal asset. The law does not clarify ownership of carbon credits or establish rules for their transfer or revocation. Developers must rely on underlying land or management rights to define carbon ownership and benefit sharing through contracts, thereby increasing legal uncertainty and the need for robust contractual arrangements.

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Overall, Guinea has ambiguous enabling conditions for blue carbon projects: early project activity shows growing interest, but the lack of a clear regulatory framework, a definition of carbon rights, and standardized approval processes creates uncertainty for developers and investors. In practice, developers must navigate evolving regulations, secure strong tenure or State authorization, and rely on contracts to manage carbon rights and benefit sharing. For investors, this translates into greater due diligence requirements and regulatory risk, as well as an opportunity to engage early in a market that is actively taking shape.

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