High-integrity carbon credits under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement aim to mobilize private capital for the conservation of rainforests at a national level.
The Latin American countries Honduras and Suriname intend to issue high-integrity Rainforest Carbon Credits working together with Deutsche Bank AG, Symrise AG and further industry partners as well as the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN). The strategic goal of all parties is to develop rainforest-based Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, supervised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
The President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, several federal ministers of both countries, COP President André Corrêa do Lago as well as the representatives of Deutsche Bank, the three German companies and CfRN joined on November 7 a signing ceremony for a Letter of Intent at the start of the global climate summit COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Honduras and Suriname have mandated Deutsche Bank and CfRN to exclusively arrange a potential sale. Both countries have already made substantial investments to meet the relevant UNFCCC performance criteria.
As one of the first companies to join this initiative, Symrise AG brings its expertise in sustainable sourcing and supply chain management to the partnership. Symrise’s commitment supports the development of innovative approaches that reward the preservation of standing rainforests and create clear value for climate, biodiversity, and society. The company will contribute its market perspective and help shape the commercialization of these new sovereign rainforest carbon credits. Symrise’s involvement reflects its ambition to drive sustainability beyond compliance and deliver positive impact for customers, investors, and communities.
Potential for a new asset class to remunerate rainforest protection
The Letter of Intent paves the way for a new category of carbon credits and could mark the start of sovereign Rainforest Carbon Credits sold at scale directly to private sector corporates under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The signatories emphasize in the Letter of Intent the importance of preserving rainforests to meet global climate and biodiversity goals.
While many nature-based carbon credits focus on reforestation or afforestation, the novelty of this product is the remuneration of the protection of standing rainforests at a national level with the goal of preserving these unique ecosystems. The parties share a common understanding that the required safeguards must be properly implemented, including social safeguards that respect the role of indigenous, tribal and forest-dependent peoples. Additional elements that could help ensure the high integrity of carbon credits may address, among others, the permanence of carbon removals as well as transparent tracking and auditing of how proceeds are used. This work will continue to be informed by existing market standards and best practice.
Symrise and further industry partners bring in buyer’s perspective
These sovereign carbx could be utilized by countries, companies, and investors to meet their individual climate ambitions. The buyers interested in acquiring these credits would be expected to satisfy certain criteria, including the continued decarbonization of their operations and value chains. The ultimate goal is to create a new asset class and to make it eligible for national emissions trading systems.
Symrise AG with other industry partners as well as other interested corporates are also contributing to the partnership by providing feedback on safeguards and the design of the product. Further details – including governance and buyer eligibility criteria – will be defined in collaboration with international and local experts.
The signatories of the Letter of Intent extend an open invitation in Belém to other governments and businesses to join efforts to further strengthen the UNFCCC mechanisms and to support the establishment of this new asset class.
Statements from the signatories:
“Our countries are home to ecosystems that are treasures to the world community,” said Honduran President Xiomara Castro. “We have undertaken significant efforts with public funds to protect our forests and wetlands, but we need international support to succeed in this tremendous effort.”
Melvin Bouva, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation of Suriname, said: “Republic of Suriname is the most forested country in the world with at least 90 percent of its territory covered and protected. This partnership is a tremendous financing opportunity to maintain and support the protection and sustainable management of our rainforest. The sole objective for being here is a shared commitment to safeguard our planet’s natural environment while simultaneously advancing our national development goals.”
"This collaboration underscores our commitment to advancing climate action and managing CO₂ emissions, while aligning these efforts with a sound commercial rationale. It reflects our purpose - integrating environmental responsibility with business performance. As a pioneer in ecosystem thinking, we contribute to resilient regeneration and demonstrate that sustainability and commercial value can, and must, go hand in hand to deliver real impact.,” said Dr. Stephanie Cossmann, Member of the Board HR, Legal, Sustainability and Labor Director of Symrise AG.
“We see this as an important complementary addition to the current architecture of sovereign emissions trading systems and voluntary carbon markets,” said Jörg Eigendorf, Chief Sustainability Officer of Deutsche Bank AG. “Our focus is on rainforest conservation at a national scale, and that needs decisive private sector support for the nations that host this invaluable ecosystem for humanity.”
“This partnership shows how global finance can align with national efforts to protect forests,” said Kevin Conrad, Executive Director of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations. “By enabling countries like Honduras and Suriname to monetize verified climate results, we’re helping turn rainforest conservation into a viable economic opportunity and empowering our goals to reverse global deforestation by 2030."
