- 23:09 GMT
Critical coal - The US Department of Energy has designated metallurgical coal - a key input for steel production - as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020, aligning with President Trump’s executive order to support the coal industry. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said the move highlights the importance of metallurgical and anthracite coal to national energy and industrial security, particularly in steelmaking, which underpins manufacturing, infrastructure, and defence. A DoE analysis confirmed that metallurgical coal meets the criteria for critical material status due to its essential role in blast furnace and electric arc furnace steel production methods. With over 150 metallurgical coal mines across the US employing tens of thousands, the sector’s shared infrastructure with thermal coal is facing strain from declining investment and capacity, threatening domestic steel production. The DoE said the designation aims to bolster US industrial resilience amid challenges such as foreign competition, fragile supply chains, and upstream underinvestment, while also reinforcing steel’s strategic role in energy infrastructure and broader national security goals.
- 22:59 GMTA key takeaway from recent discussions on the link between Article 6 and the VCM is the persistent confusion surrounding Corresponding Adjustments (CAs), particularly regarding project eligibility, conditional NDCs, and the limited supply of CAs, with concerns emerging over pricing distortions, voluntary buyer behaviour, and the need for clearer frameworks to ensure environmental integrity and mobilise finance at scale.
Populus choice - Populus Seattle, part of the Populus Hotels group, opened as the second carbon positive hotel in the US. The project has secured 2,000 Verra-certified forest carbon credits from King County's Forest Carbon Program to offset its embodied carbon footprint of 1,630 tCO2e. Developed through an adaptive reuse of the 1907 Westland Building, the 120-room boutique hotel incorporates sustainable practices including reduced embodied carbon (down 36%), renewable energy use, composting food waste, and partnerships with local farms for regenerative agriculture. The reuse of the historic structure avoids new carbon-intensive construction and encourages pedestrian access in lieu of an on-site parking facility. The property also participates in Populus Hotels’ "One Night, One Tree" initiative, planting a tree for each night stayed, and has committed to 100% renewable electricity via Seattle City Light’s Green Up programme, alongside participation in a renewable natural gas programme from PSE. Populus Seattle builds on the approach pioneered by Populus Denver, applying a full Life Cycle Assessment to achieve a net negative carbon outcome across construction and operations. (Travel Daily News)
- 21:46 GMTTrump’s CAFE - The Trump administration announced Thursday that it has rewritten the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) rules to reverse rules previously implemented by the Biden administration. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused the previous administration of illegally using the CAFE standards as a “backdoor electric vehicle mandate” and said that his department has submitted its reinterpretation of the rule to “ensure the American people can purchase the cars they want". The reinterpreted rule has been submitted to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review. It has not yet been made public.
- 20:51 GMTThe US Senate voted Thursday morning to revoke three waivers the EPA granted to California that allowed the state to set stricter vehicle emissions standards, including one that blocks California’s ability to phase out gas-powered cars and require EV sales.
- 20:32 GMTClimate action de(Prime)nt - Amazon investors rejected the three shareholder resolutions meant to address climate change impacts from the company. The proposals failed to get sufficient votes to be enacted, and included resolutions to require additional reporting on overall climate emissions from Amazon, addressing the climate impact of data centres, and calling for further disclosure about packing materials for the retail giant. The company deemed its existing climate disclosures as sufficient, Reuters reported.
- 19:21 GMTA proposed US carbon tariff policy would boost domestic production of covered products and generate billions in revenue, but have limited effects on global GHG emissions, according to a new report.
- The administration of US President Donald Trump dampens prospects for the country's carbon removal (CDR) market, but some positive signs remain intact despite the federal rollback of wider climate efforts of prior governments, stakeholders said this week at a conference in New York City.
- 17:47 GMTCalifornia's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit values declined in the absence of certainty on implementation of proposed programme changes, while other US clean fuel schemes largely stabilised throughout May following regulatory and legislative actions in Oregon and Washington.
- Olympic-sized deal - Microsoft signed an offtake agreement with UK-based investor Climate Asset Management (CAM) for up to 700,000 nature-based CDR credits through 2035. The agreement is the first part of a larger deal signed earlier in May between CAM's operating partner EFM and the tech giant to deliver up to 3 mln improved forest management (IFM) credits over the next three years. EFM finalised this latest agreement of IFM credits involving Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula forest acreage. This will be CAM’s first US forestry asset within its Natural Capital Fund I.
- CO2 case curtailed - The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a lawsuit on Wednesday by environmental groups seeking to overturn the US EPA’s decision to grant Louisiana oversight of CO2 injection wells, E&E News reported. The court ruled the groups lacked standing, with Judge Andrew Oldham stating their claims were too speculative. Judge Kurt Engelhardt joined the opinion, while Judge James Graves concurred in the outcome but said the majority applied a stricter standing standard than the Supreme Court requires.
- Net zero no-go - Canada Pension Plan Investments (CPP Investments), the Crown corporation managing over C$714 bln ($514 bln) in pension assets for Canadian contributors and beneficiaries, announced it will no longer maintain a commitment to achieving net zero GHG emissions by 2050. The corporation cited recent legal developments in Canada that are allegedly increasing pressure to adopt standardised emissions metrics and interim targets, which it said do not reflect the complexity of its global portfolio. CPP Investments stated that forcing alignment with rigid milestones could lead to decisions misaligned with its investment strategy, and it will instead prioritise delivering long-term results.
- Protections passed - Illinois lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1723 (SB 1723) on May 20 through both Houses of the state legislature. The bill, which previously passed the State Senate 55-0 with bipartisan support, prohibits CO2 sequestration activities that overlie, underlie, or pass through single-source aquifers or primary sources of drinking water. The bill includes provisions specific to the Mahomet Aquifer, where a 2024 CO2 leak led to a federal violation notice against multinational agribusiness Archer-Daniels-Midland. The bill also established the Mahomet Aquifer Advisory Study Commission, tasked with assessing safety protocols of carbon capture and storage in the region.
- 16:22 GMTBiodiversity credits must address ownership rights as a first step to be defined as high integrity, especially when it comes to marine environments, an expert told Carbon Pulse.
- A food and beverage multinational has pushed back its goal for net zero emissions across its value chain to 2050, from 2040, in response to the "realities" of systemic barriers such as lacking power grids and electric vehicle charging infrastructure, it announced on Thursday.
- 16:17 GMTA group of organisations this week issued six principles for land sector insetting, calling for more recognition in existing climate frameworks such as the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
- 16:00 GMTTax bill triumph - US President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill narrowly passed the US House of Representatives on Thursday, with a final vote tally of 215-214. The bill included amendments such as early termination of clean electricity and energy storage tax credits under Sections 45Y and 48E, repeal of credit transferability provisions, and new restrictions on solar and wind leasing arrangements. The amendments also introduced an expedited permitting process for natural gas infrastructure under the Natural Gas Act. Additional provisions overrode the 2024-29 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and appropriates $100 mln to review regulations from agencies including the EPA and the DOE. The bill has yet to pass the US Senate.
- 15:50 GMTA UK-based carbon removals platform has launched a new product to turn long-term offtake agreements into immediate upfront cash, rather than use venture capital.
- 15:05 GMTEfforts to integrate biodiversity into financial decision-making are faltering due to unreliable data, inconsistent metrics, and a lack of ecological grounding, according to new research.
- 14:47 GMTAn initiative led by Brazil aims to develop a first-of-its-kind financial structure that funnels billions of dollars into the fight against deforestation, with a focus on local people.
- 14:34 GMTThere are indications that China is ramping up its capacity to produce green, synthetic fuels for shipping, with potential for it to scale the market for e-methanol and ammonia much like it did with solar and battery production, said an expert on a briefing Thursday.
- 14:31 GMTStandardisation of offtake agreements for carbon removal (CDR) projects would help scale the emerging market faster, experts said this week at a conference in New York City.
- A Canadian developer of nature-based agricultural solutions is set to launch its first verified carbon offset credits — framing carbon sequestration as just one small piece of the credits’ larger benefits, which aim to prevent biodiversity loss and preserve ecosystems.
- 13:48 GMTLand and sea – CO2 removals from land and sea do not interfere with each other and can be combined, suggest three LMU Munich researchers in a study published in Nature Communications on Wednesday. Until now, it was unclear whether a combination of afforestation/reforestation and ocean alkalinity enhancement for example, could impair CDR effectiveness, as removing CO2 in one location could theoretically lead to reduced uptake elsewhere. Now, the scientists provide initial evidence to show that the efficiency of CDR is insensitive to both the amount of CDR and the CDR portfolio. This can reduce pressure on land, they write, though they called for more research into marine CDR and its environmental impacts.
- A Boston-area startup will supply up to 622,500 tonnes of low-carbon cement over nine years under a long-term deal with Microsoft, the company announced Wednesday.
- Microsoft and a US-based carbon management firm released a new guide to high-quality environmental attribute certificates (EACs) in the concrete and steel sectors, seeking to reduce the tech giant’s Scope 3 emissions.
- 11:49 GMTGoing low-carbon is set to transform the fortunes of one of the world’s largest pulp and lumber companies as it embarks on a pioneering 'green glue', as well as a bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) plant, the CEO told Carbon Pulse.
- 11:24 GMTThe local government of Misiones, Argentina, has launched an insurance policy aimed at protecting jaguars while safeguarding livestock producers across the province, in an initiative claimed to be the first of its kind in the world.
- 08:00 GMTThe liquefied natural gas (LNG) market looks set to continue on last year's growth, as LNG infrastructure expands and the number of participants increase — but the sector also faces geopolitical risk, despite some governments saying it can help to reduce emissions and enhance energy security, a report has found.
- 00:37 GMTCanada’s newly-elected Prime Minister Mark Carney faces pressure from carbon market participants to stabilise climate policy amid recent turbulence, a conference heard Wednesday.
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