New Initiative Builds Capacity for Article 6 Implementation Across Latin America
- CCAP
- Sep 28
- 5 min read
Funded by the GCF Readiness Programme, this project strengthens the foundations of Article 6 in seven countries.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP), in partnership with Atmosphere Alternative, is launching a new regional initiative to support Latin American countries in unlocking the potential of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Programme and administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), this project will help seven countries strengthen their institutional and technical capacities to optimize their roles in global carbon markets and enhance Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
The goal is to ensure that Latin American countries not only partake in global markets—but shape them, on their own terms and in ways that align with national priorities and climate justice. Consistent with this vision, the project will provide:
Tailored diagnostics and stakeholder consultations to assess readiness and map needs
Strategic roadmaps for Article 6 engagement aligned with each country’s NDCs and prioritized economic sectors
Practical tools and hands-on training to build technical capacity
Embedded environmental and social safeguards.
“Latin America is emerging as a global leader for high-integrity carbon markets,” said CCAP Executive Director Allison Bender Corbett. “Building on COP29’s Article 6 decisions and a decade of innovation, countries are moving from readiness to results—strengthening institutions, bolstering MRV protocols and building credible pipelines of cooperative approaches. Through this GCF-funded effort with UNEP and Atmosphere Alternative, we’re helping partners translate policy into practice so climate finance flows into projects that deliver verifiable GHG reductions and inclusive, tailored development aligned with their NDCs.”
Driving Climate Ambition Through Article 6
Latin American countries are on the frontlines of the climate crisis, facing increasing pressure from rising temperatures, ecosystem degradation and growing socio-economic impacts. At COP29, countries reached a long-awaited consensus on the operational frameworks for Article 6 mechanisms, and many countries in the region are now piloting and scaling advanced climate policy instruments—such as carbon pricing, MRV systems and sectoral strategies—to drive emissions reductions while promoting inclusive, low-carbon development.
Additionally, countries agreed on a landmark decision to mobilize USD $300 billion annually by 2035, with a long-term goal of USD $1.3 trillion per year, reinforcing the urgency for transparent, accountable climate finance. Meeting the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) will require greater transparency, effective coordination across public, private, bilateral and multilateral channels—and robust systems to track and validate these climate finance flows.
Under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, countries have a strategic path to enhance climate ambition through global cooperation—whether by trading mitigation outcomes or collaborating on joint initiatives. Latin American countries are showing growing interest in these mechanisms, recognizing their potential to deliver both economic and environmental benefits.
However, despite growing interest and efforts across the region, many countries continue to navigate key challenges:
Gaps in institutional and legal frameworks
Ongoing efforts to build an understanding of carbon market mechanisms
Coordination and knowledge sharing still in development
A need for greater engagement from the private sector
Roles of verifiers and accreditation bodies not yet fully defined
Strengthening technical capacity for baselines, emissions projections and carbon budgets
Despite these challenges, Latin America brings a solid foundation of experience with locally tailored carbon pricing policies—offering a promising base for credible and equitable engagement with Article 6.
“Since its inception, the LAC-6 project has aimed to support countries in developing the carbon market ecosystem,” said Ana Dávila, Article 6 Specialist for UNEP Latin America and the Caribbean. “It has been a privilege to accompany them and witness the significant progress achieved in 2023 and 2024, including inter-institutional roundtables, the development of public policy instruments and the creation of the Regional Observatory for Carbon Markets. In this new stage, LAC-6 will move from an analytical phase to an implementation phase, continuing to provide strategic support for a more integral market and increased climate financing.”
Building on Prior Insights: Article 6 Progress Report and Regional Observatory
This new initiative builds on CCAP’s ongoing work in the region, including the Progress Report on the Operationalization of Article 6 in Latin America, developed with the UN Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre (RCC Latin America). The report—available in English and Spanish—documents how seven countries are preparing for cooperative approaches, highlights regional priorities and identifies persistent capacity gaps.
The report is now housed within the Regional Carbon Markets Observatory for Latin America and the Caribbean, co-led by CCAP, UNEP and the UNFCCC. This open-access platform promotes transparency, coordination and shared knowledge on carbon market development.
Key features of the Observatory include:
A searchable library of guidance and reports
A technical helpdesk for national teams
Short video explainers and tutorials
A robust FAQ section for policymakers and practitioners
Deliverables and Project Activities
This multi-faceted project will deliver a range of tools, guidance and capacity-building activities tailored to each country’s needs:
Operational Pilots: Each country will identify and document at least one project ready, or nearly ready, for the transfer of internationally recognized mitigation outcomes (ITMOS) under Article 6.
Tailored National Roadmaps: Countries will receive strategic roadmaps outlining their carbon market baselines, institutional and technical readiness and a step-by-step action plan to engage in both voluntary and Article 6 markets.
Regional Stakeholder Workshops: A series of virtual workshops with national designated authorities (NDAs) and key actors, fostering regional coordination, clarifying technical concepts and supporting the implementation of carbon market tools and protocols.
Looking Ahead
Through this comprehensive initiative, CCAP and Atmosphere Alternative aim to foster a more inclusive, technically robust and strategically aligned carbon market ecosystem in Latin America. The ultimate goal: to ensure that Latin American countries can fully leverage Article 6 mechanisms to meet—and exceed—their climate ambitions.
CCAP’s Carbon Markets Program
CCAP brings over 30 years of experience in carbon markets, supporting the design and implementation of carbon pricing mechanisms worldwide—from California to Japan. The program focuses on advancing high-integrity market instruments that contribute to countries' climate goals, including NDCs. Its work is grounded in three pillars:
Supporting carbon pricing from ambition to implementation
Ensuring real emissions reductions with social and environmental benefits
Providing reliable, independent information on carbon markets and policies
CCAP has contributed to major milestones in climate policy, including the Kyoto Protocol's flexibility mechanisms and the EU Emissions Trading System. More recently, its work has centered on Latin America, supporting Article 6 implementation, benefit-sharing and environmental safeguards for carbon markets.
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CCAP’s mission is to support every step of climate action, from ambition to implementation. A recognized world leader in climate policy and action, CCAP creates innovative, replicable climate solutions, strengthens capacities, and promotes best practices across the local, national, and international levels to accelerate the transition to a net-zero, climate resilient future. CCAP was founded in 1985 and is based in Washington, DC.