Italy has taken a decisive step toward integrating nature conservation with market mechanisms by launching a national registry for voluntary carbon credits. The initiative aims to protect the country’s ten million hectares of forests and ensure transparency in environmental compensation efforts.
View from behind newly planted trees in Foresta della Sila, Calabria — Italy’s largest forest. AI generated picture.
Announced through a decree signed by Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida and Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, the new National Registry of Voluntary Carbon Credits (Registro nazionale dei crediti di Carbonio volontari) will provide a unified framework for certifying and tracking carbon projects across Italy.
‘This is a step forward in combating greenwashing and caring for the environment with facts, not slogans’, Lollobrigida said. ‘The carbon credit registry can become operational today. It is an essential tool for revitalising the management of Italy's forests by combining private efforts with public interest.’
Under the new system, carbon projects will need to demonstrate measurable improvements in forest management, go beyond existing regulations, and maintain long-term impact over at least two decades. The registry will be overseen by CREA—Italy’s Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics—a public research institute specialising in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.
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‘The operation of the register places the role of CREA at the forefront, as the registry's management body, given its experience in the field and its strong expertise in analysis, practices, and methodologies’, said CREA President Andrea Rocchi. He added that the organisation faces the ‘challenging’ task of making the registry operational by 2026, in collaboration with Italy’s National Forestry Information System.
Italy’s move reflects a broader trend among European governments to establish national frameworks for voluntary carbon markets, reducing reliance on international registries. Last month, Spain’s Galicia region launched a €6 million initiative to develop its own carbon credit system, highlighting growing regional engagement in carbon governance.
By formalising its carbon registry, Italy positions itself to better align forest conservation with credible carbon accounting—bridging environmental integrity with economic opportunity.
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Italy’s move to formalise its national carbon registry mirrors a growing global momentum toward high-integrity, transparent carbon frameworks. As governments strengthen oversight and validation systems, they open new pathways for credible, measurable impact. At Green Earth, we advance this mission from the ground up—designing and developing nature-based carbon projects that deliver verified carbon units while restoring ecosystems and empowering local communities. Through our projects, organisations can take part in the same movement Italy is driving—turning environmental responsibility into measurable, lasting impact.
