Climate Change: How Carbon Credits, Technology Are Offsetting The Huge Cost

Whether we like it or not, climate change is here with us! And it looks set to overstay its “welcome.” Thanks to man’s nefarious activities on Planet Earth. True, climate change impacts leave no one indifferent. For, everyone is affected – no matter where they live – in various ways and varying degrees. Enormous, though, as the economic cost of climate change impacts is, there is still something we can do to recover some of the cost – at least. This is where technology and carbon credits come in to support sustainability. 

At Kahera
“On our three-hectare property, we’ve designed a landscape that goes beyond aesthetics, it’s an ecosystem. Over 750 trees, 6,000 shrubs, and 30,000 groundcover plants will transform the land into a natural carbon sink. Each tree will absorb roughly 10 kilogrammes of CO₂ per year as it matures, helping to offset part of our operational footprint. But this is just the beginning,” explains Kechi Ibe, founder of Kahera Country Club in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

Luxury In Another Sense 
“Our goal is to redefine what luxury means in Africa. For us, luxury is clean air, shaded walkways, solar-lit nights, and water features fed by captured rain. It’s a place where sustainability is seamless - not a slogan, but a lifestyle,” Kechi points out.

Of Accountability, Innovation 
“We aim to publish a “Green Ledger” each year: tracking our trees, water use, waste diversion, and carbon offset performance. These aren’t vanity metric, they’re part of a larger ecosystem of accountability and innovation. Because the future of luxury, tourism, and urban development in Africa depends on how responsibly we grow today.

Africa’s Blueprint 
“Africa doesn’t need to follow the West’s sustainability blueprint; we can write our own. With data, technology, and authenticity, we can turn climate resilience into economic advantage. Sustainability isn’t a trend. It’s the new currency of credibility and Africa is rich in it,” Ibe insists.

No Longer Beggar 
In matters of sustainability, therefore, Africa is no longer that hapless child sitting by the roadside begging for alms. Rather, the continent is moving ahead, making progress in safeguarding the sustainability of its environments. “In the global race toward sustainability, Africa often gets typecast as the continent “to be helped.” But that narrative is outdated. Africa is not just a victim of climate change; it’s the stage for the next great green revolution - one rooted in technology, innovation, and a clear understanding that sustainability is not charity; it’s strategy,” Kechi emphasizes.

Not Commensurate!
Africa holds nearly 30 per cent of the world’s carbon-sequestering ecosystems. Yet, earns less than 3 per cent of global carbon credit revenue. This gap can be bridged. By building credible, tech-enabled, community-driven projects, the continent can transform carbon credits from an abstract idea into a real development tool. Thereby creating jobs, protecting biodiversity, and powering innovation, Kechi argues.

The Revolution Is On!
She cites the examples of Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda that are already creating carbon ...