ACCR Signs Landmark Climate Partnerships with Sierra Leone

On September 24, 2025, the Government of Sierra Leone officially signed ground-breaking partnership agreements with two leading companies from the Association of Carbon Conservation and Reforestation (ACCR) during the UN Climate Week in New York. This milestone marks a significant advancement in Sierra Leone’s leadership on climate action and its green economic transformation.

ACCR, a national trade association representing the six largest private sector carbon developers in Sierra Leone—including Rainforest Builder, West Africa Blue, Rewilding, Freetown the Treetown, Del Agua, and Gola Rainforest, was convened by Invest Salone, a UK Government program, at the request of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The association works closely with local communities to restore degraded ecosystems and enhance livelihoods through sustainable carbon finance initiatives.

ACCR announces two major long-term partnership agreements from:

• Rainforest Builder (SL) Limited, operating in Moyamba District, is restoring 12,000 hectares of degraded tropical forest and has already created over 1,000 rural jobs. With plans to expand employment to 2,400 by 2031, the company integrates advanced restoration science with strong community engagement.
• West Africa Blue, also known as The Africa Conservation Initiative, leads blue carbon restoration in coastal areas such as the Sherbro River Estuary. Their work focuses on mangrove regeneration, marine biodiversity conservation, and empowering local communities—especially women—by providing sustainable livelihoods.

Together, ACCR members have achieved:

• The planting of over 4.5 million trees
• The protection of tens of thousands of hectares of forest and mangrove ecosystems
• The delivery of 250,000 efficient cookstoves
• Employment of over 4,500 people across Sierra Leone

ACCR proudly shares that three of its member companies have formal government partnership agreements. The first agreement, ratified by Parliament in August 2024, was with Del Agua. With over 12 years of experience in cookstove carbon projects across Africa, Del Agua partners with the Government of Sierra Leone under the “Livɛ Fyn” (Live Well) programme. This initiative distributes clean cookstoves to 700,000 households and engages more than 1,600 youth volunteers to promote climate, health, and economic benefits.

A Unified Voice for Climate Finance

Ben Hampson, Chairman of ACCR and Business Development Director at Rainforest Builder, emphasized the association’s role: “ACCR acts as the unified voice of Sierra Leone’s private sector in carbon finance discussions. The signing of these agreements marks a significant leap forward for carbon industry development in Sierra Leone, presenting vast opportunities for job creation, ecosystem restoration, and improved livelihoods in rural communities. We extend our gratitude to the Government of Sierra Leone and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for championing this transformative initiative. ACCR fully supports the national vision to renew ecosystems through innovative financing and the creation of sustainable industries.”

He continued, “With the establishment of a Carbon Market Framework, these benefits will multiply over the next 2 to 5 years. ACCR stands ready to partner with the government to implement this framework quickly and fairly.”

National Significance
This partnership represents a landmark achievement for Sierra Leone’s environmental and economic goals. It strongly supports the country’s commitments to ecosystem restoration, economic diversification, and inclusive development, with measurable benefits expected across multiple sectors.

• The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change recognizes this effort as a flagship project to restore degraded lands, enhance biodiversity, and position Sierra Leone as a regional leader in nature-based climate solutions.
• The Ministry of Trade and Industry views the agreement as a catalyst for responsible private sector investments, job creation in rural areas, and the nurturing of sustainable industries such as carbon markets and agroforestry.
• The Ministry of Finance highlights the long-term economic value of the partnership, aligning with Sierra Leone’s green growth strategy and its potential to generate substantial fiscal returns through climate finance and community development.

Together, these ministries affirm that ACCR and its member projects will play a vital role in advancing Sierra Leone’s climate ambitions while delivering tangible benefits to landowners, local communities, and the national economy.

The signing of these agreements was witnessed by the Ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Trade and Industry, Finance and Office of the President with parliamentary ratification expected to follow shortly.