TASC Champions Scalable Climate Solutions at Carbon Markets Africa Summit
The Carbon Markets Africa Summit, set to take place in Johannesburg from 22 to 23 October, is poised to bring together the continent’s most influential carbon market players. From pioneering developers and project financiers to global institutions and regulatory bodies, this gathering promises to showcase the potential of carbon markets in tackling climate change at scale.
Leading the charge as the event’s diamond sponsor is TASC, an award-winning carbon finance project developer renowned for combining scientific rigour with grassroots impact. The company’s commitment to high-integrity, high-impact projects has already earned it a strong reputation across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
Scaling Up with Science and Innovation
Shelley Estcourt, TASC’s CEO for Africa, makes the company’s ethos clear: “At its core, TASC is community-driven and we believe in delivering real-world social and environmental impact rooted in rigorous carbon science.” She underscores that while the company initially built its expertise around clean cookstove programmes, it has since diversified through ground-breaking initiatives such as the GRASS (Grassland Restoration and Stewardship in South Africa) project.
Backed by an in-house research and development team, TASC continually explores new methodologies, platforms, and strategic partnerships. This approach enables the company to design solutions that not only reduce emissions but also enhance community resilience, restore ecosystems, and foster sustainable livelihoods.
A Track Record of Impact
In 2023, TASC’s clean cookstove project earned the Environmental Finance Voluntary Carbon Market Award, a recognition that also brought vital financial support via Standard Bank. Estcourt notes: “The award and the associated finance mechanism were instrumental. It enabled us to repay early-stage funding and significantly expand the scope of the programme.”
The results speak volumes. To date, TASC has distributed more than 950,000 clean cookstoves to households across rural South Africa. This achievement has delivered measurable reductions in carbon emissions while improving indoor air quality, reducing fuel costs, and improving health outcomes for countless families.
The GRASS Project
While clean energy access remains a key focus, TASC’s GRASS project demonstrates its ability to address broader climate challenges. By restoring degraded rangelands, GRASS enhances carbon sequestration and strengthens rural communities against the adverse effects of climate change.
Estcourt explains: “Climate change has significantly reduced the adaptive capacity of farmers, which sees them to increased drought vulnerability, erosion, bare soils, and more extreme weather impacts. GRASS helps reverse these effects by improving water-holding capacity, stabilising soil temperatures, reducing erosion, and increasing biodiversity across hundreds of thousands of hectares.”
The project holds the distinction of being the world’s first to register under Verra’s VM0042 methodology, ensuring robust monitoring and the generation of certified carbon credits. This achievement not only validates the project’s scientific credibility but also provides a trusted model for replication across other regions.
Targeting Markets with the Right Frameworks
TASC’s strategic footprint spans sub-Saharan Africa and Australia, with plans to expand further into the Australasian region and additional African markets. The company prioritises jurisdictions with advanced Article 6 carbon market frameworks, where stable policy environments allow for long-term, scalable impact.
By operating in these forward-looking markets, TASC ensures that its projects can secure sustained investment, deliver credible carbon reductions, and generate meaningful socio-economic benefits.
Building Trust and Collaboration
For TASC, the Carbon Markets Africa Summit represents more than just a networking opportunity. Estcourt describes it as “an important opportunity to bring thought leaders, developers, policymakers, and buyers into one room. It’s a platform to hopefully accelerate Article 6 readiness, deepen understanding of what high-impact projects look like on the ground, and promote stronger collaboration across the continent.”
She highlights the importance for buyers: “This is your chance to meet developers face-to-face, ask the hard questions, and build real trust in the market. Come and listen to the passion.”
With carbon markets gaining momentum globally, the Summit is expected to play a pivotal role in aligning African stakeholders with international best practices and unlocking new channels for climate finance.
A Future Rooted in Scalable Solutions
TASC’s work illustrates the transformative potential of carbon finance when science, innovation, and community needs are brought together. From millions of cookstoves in rural homes to the restoration of vast grassland ecosystems, the company’s model is proof that climate action can be both impactful and scalable.
By stepping up as diamond sponsor of the Carbon Markets Africa Summit, TASC is sending a clear signal: Africa’s carbon market future is one where communities thrive, ecosystems recover, and climate solutions deliver lasting value.
