As part of its Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement and in various fora since then, Côte d’Ivoire has expressed its intention to explore a domestic carbon pricing mechanism as a way to meet the objectives of reducing national GHG emissions by 28% by 2030. Funded by the Ivoirian government, exploratory work, stakeholder consultations, and a first feasibility study have already been undertaken with regard to a potential carbon tax scheme in Côte d’Ivoire.
At the Partnership Assembly of the PMR, in October 2017, Côte d’Ivoire was declared a new technical partner and at the following Partnership Assembly, in April 2018, the US$500k project funding request to support the policy design of a carbon tax in Côte d’Ivoire was approved.
This progress fits well with the efforts of the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition (CPLC) to discuss carbon pricing in the African context. Therefore, the CPLC is also committed to provide Côte d’Ivoire with additional support (peer exchange and technical assistance) on its pathway towards a national carbon tax.
Under the joint PMR/CPLC activities, the following sets of activities are proposed: 1) Selecting potential tax options for further analysis, based on a clear determination of policy objectives and national circumstances, 2) Analyzing the performance and impacts of the tax options selected, 3) Designing the main elements of the carbon tax by identifying optimal tax bases, rates and risk-abatement measures, and 4) Preparing the implementation of the carbon tax design.
On July 12-13, 2018, the project will officially be launched in Abidjan-Plateau, Côte d’Ivoire in the premises of the Ministry of Economy and Finances, at Salle des Fêtes of Immeuble SCIAM, 20th floor, with the support of the National Clean Development Mechanism National Authority. The launch ceremony will be in presence of the Minister of Sanitation, Environment and Sustainable Development together with other key ministerial departments.
A workshop focusing on the opportunities and challenges of an environmental tax reform in the form of an inter-ministerial dialogue will take place in this context. Bringing together all relevant Ministries, as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society, this event will provide a unique opportunity to discuss the political objectives of a potential carbon tax in Côte d'Ivoire.
For any further information, please contact Ruth ZAGBA, Cél: +225 89 30 24 62, Email: ruthzagba08@yahoo.fr
