The Project Developer Forum (PD Forum), one of the world’s leading industry bodies representing carbon project developers, has appointed Brazilian carbon market specialist Thiago Viana as Co-Vice Chair, reinforcing its leadership at a pivotal moment for international carbon markets as countries prepare for the operationalization of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the expansion of global carbon trading mechanisms. The appointment was confirmed during the Forum’s Annual General Meeting and comes amid growing momentum behind compliance carbon markets, increasing demand for high-integrity carbon credits and intensified international negotiations ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host in Belém in 2026.
Viana, who is based in Rio de Janeiro and serves as Manager of Energy Carbon Projects at EcoSecurities, joins Chair Nick Marshall and Co-Vice Chair Ayse Frey on the organization’s leadership team. He succeeds Olivia Tuchten, who has transitioned to a role on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Methodological Expert Panel (MEP), where she will contribute to the development of global carbon market methodologies and standards. The leadership transition comes at a significant moment for both African and global carbon markets. Governments, investors and project developers are increasingly positioning themselves for a new phase of climate finance, driven by emerging compliance markets, international carbon trading rules and growing corporate demand for verified emissions reductions. As a UNFCCC observer organization representing more than 65 project developers operating across Africa, Asia, Latin America and other regions, the Project Developer Forum plays a prominent role in shaping technical and policy discussions surrounding carbon credit generation, market governance and environmental integrity.
Over the past year, the Forum has been actively engaged in regulatory discussions related to Article 6 implementation, the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and reforms aimed at improving confidence in global carbon markets following years of scrutiny over credit quality and transparency.
For Africa, these developments carry particular significance. The continent possesses some of the world’s largest untapped opportunities for generating carbon credits through renewable energy deployment, nature-based solutions, sustainable agriculture, forest conservation, clean cooking technologies and industrial decarbonization initiatives. However, African countries currently account for a relatively small share of global carbon credit issuance despite significant mitigation potential. According to market analysts and development institutions, the implementation of Article 6 could substantially increase climate finance flows into Africa by enabling countries to monetize verified emissions reductions while supporting national development priorities.
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement establishes a framework allowing countries to cooperate in achieving their climate targets through international carbon trading and emissions reduction transfers. The mechanism is widely viewed as one of the most important financial tools available to mobilize private capital toward climate mitigation projects in developing economies. Several African countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, have already begun establishing national frameworks designed to participate in Article 6 transactions. Others are developing regulatory systems to attract project developers and carbon market investors seeking opportunities in emerging markets.
Viana’s appointment reflects the growing importance of practical project development experience as policymakers move from designing carbon market frameworks to implementing them. His work at EcoSecurities has focused on renewable energy, industrial emissions reduction and waste management projects, areas increasingly viewed as critical to Africa’s energy transition and climate resilience strategies.
“Compliance carbon markets are gaining momentum again in Brazil and across the continent, Article 6 frameworks are taking shape in several African countries, and the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism is moving closer to full operation,”
Viana said following his appointment.
“There’s a real and growing pipeline of opportunities, from energy transition to improved agricultural practices.”
His comments underscore a broader shift underway within carbon markets. After years in which voluntary carbon markets dominated climate finance discussions, attention is increasingly moving toward compliance systems backed by governments and international agreements. The Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, often referred to as the successor to the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism, is expected to create new opportunities for project developers while establishing more standardized governance structures. At the same time, the aviation sector’s CORSIA framework is becoming an increasingly important source of demand for carbon credits. Airlines participating in the International Civil Aviation Organization’s emissions reduction programme are expected to require substantial volumes of eligible credits over the coming decade as the sector works toward emissions reduction targets.
The Project Developer Forum has emerged as a significant voice in these discussions. Over the past twelve months, the organization has advocated for greater policy alignment between emerging compliance mechanisms and existing carbon market systems. It also joined the International Emissions Trading Association’s Supporting Alliance for CORSIA Eligible Emissions Unit Supply as a founding participant. Industry participants argue that ensuring a sufficient supply of high-quality carbon credits will be essential if compliance markets are to scale effectively while maintaining environmental credibility.
This challenge has become increasingly important following heightened scrutiny of carbon credit quality. Recent debates have focused on additionality, permanence, transparency and monitoring standards, prompting calls for reforms designed to strengthen market integrity without undermining project viability. Nick Marshall, Chair of the Project Developer Forum, emphasized the importance of maintaining strong regional representation within the organization’s leadership.
“Thiago is a fantastic addition to the leadership team, and it’s great to have his regional perspective on the carbon market. Latin America is central to its future and having that represented at leadership level makes a real difference,” Marshall said.
For Africa, the stakes extend beyond carbon trading itself. Well-functioning carbon markets could provide new sources of finance for renewable energy projects, sustainable agriculture programmes, forest conservation initiatives and community development activities that might otherwise struggle to secure investment. According to the African Development Bank and several climate finance institutions, unlocking private-sector climate investment remains one of the continent’s most pressing development challenges. Carbon markets are increasingly viewed as a mechanism capable of complementing traditional development finance by creating revenue streams linked directly to measurable environmental outcomes. However, experts caution that success will depend on establishing robust regulatory frameworks, ensuring transparency, protecting local community interests and maintaining confidence in the environmental integrity of carbon credits.
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As countries prepare for COP30 and international carbon market mechanisms move closer to full implementation, organizations such as the Project Developer Forum are expected to play an increasingly influential role in shaping how these systems operate in practice. The appointment of Viana therefore reflects more than a leadership change. It highlights a broader transition underway across global carbon markets as policymakers, investors and developers move from designing future frameworks toward building the institutions, projects and financing mechanisms that will determine whether carbon markets can deliver meaningful climate and development outcomes over the coming decade.
