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- Sun 23:11Problems with the Lights - An investigative report by Follow The Money (FTM) has raised serious questions over the viability of Norway’s flagship CCS initiative, Northern Lights, just weeks before it begins operations. Launched as Europe’s first cross-border CO2 transport and storage network, Northern Lights is backed by oil majors Equinor, Shell, and TotalEnergies and aims to permanently store emissions under the North Sea. The project has been heralded as a cornerstone of European decarbonisation efforts, with initial clients including Yara, Orsted, and Heidelberg Materials. But FTM’s investigation reveals the project is grappling with high operating costs, limited transport capacity, and uncertain long-term funding. With just two ships currently capable of transporting liquefied CO2, analysts warn that key targets - such as Yara’s 800,000-tonne annual commitment - may be unachievable without a much larger fleet. Even with two more vessels under construction, experts say a dozen may be needed as the project scales. FTM’s cost analysis, drawing on figures from the IEA and Wood Mackenzie, estimates that Yara could spend at least $140 mln per year on capture, transport and storage - raising doubts over the project’s commercial sustainability. Similar cost burdens were calculated for Orsted and Heidelberg Materials. The current cost of CCS through Northern Lights far exceeds EUA prices. The report also flags wider concerns about CCS technology, citing a pattern of underperformance among global projects and warnings from think tanks like IEEFA that CCS may offer false reassurance while prolonging fossil fuel use. Despite strong political and financial backing from Norway and the EU, FTM notes that the project’s first phase experienced a 20% cost overrun, with future funding sources unclear. Subsidies have so far shielded companies from the full cost burden, but the investigation raises doubts over whether the model is scalable or sustainable.
- Sun 23:01Subsidised leasing could enable up to 3 million households on low or modest incomes to switch to electric vehicles by 2032, softening the impact of any potential price rises of fuel caused by the introduction of the EU's emission trading system for heating and transport in 2027 (ETS2), according to new analysis published on Monday.
- Sun 22:57The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) this month outlined recommendations surrounding the governor’s proposal for cap-and-trade extension and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) expenditure plan to better align the scheme with legislative priorities.
- A Canadian cleantech firm plans to invest $40 million to establish a manufacturing facility in Egypt focused on flare gas recovery, carbon capture, and reinjection technologies, officials said following high-level talks in Cairo.
- Sun 10:53An oversight committee has suspended a demand by Brazilian prosecutors’ offices to annul a $180-million jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) deal announced by the state of Para last fall.
- Sun 02:59Not a big deal – In its proposal to scrap GHG limits on coal and gas-fired power plants in the US, the EPA argued that GHGs from power plants do not contribute to dangerous pollution significantly or to climate change given their small and declining share of emissions, according to the New York Times. The news outlet said it reviewed draft regulations that the EPA had submitted for an interagency review earlier this month, arguing that reducing such emissions would not impact public health and welfare. The agency, under the Biden administration, finalised the power plant rules in Apr. 2024 for existing fossil fuel electricity generation units, repealing the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy rule. The regulation also envisioned an important role for carbon capture and storage (CCS), which fielded a series of ongoing legal challenges.
- Sun 02:58Cost of cap-and-trade – California’s Senate Appropriations Committee on Friday approved amended Senate Bill 840 (SB 840) on a 6–1 vote. The bill intends to extend the requirement for the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to submit annual reports on the economic impacts of the state’s cap-and-trade programme. SB 840 was originally filed to “reform and extend the operation” of the state’s ETS, but that language has since been removed. The bill is now headed to the Senate floor for a vote.
- Big tech on the high seas - Danish shipping company Norden has partnered with Microsoft on a pilot project to reduce the tech giant’s maritime Scope 3 emissions by nearly 10,000 tonnes of CO2 over three years. The collaboration involves using waste-based biofuels and a 'Book and Claim' system, which allows Microsoft to account for emission reductions even if the low-carbon fuel isn’t physically used on its own shipments. Norden claims its biofuel voyages offer an 80-90% life cycle emissions cut compared to conventional fuels. The companies are also working with the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) to trial improvements to the RSB’s Book and Claim framework, aiming to enhance transparency and credibility in tracking sustainable shipping fuel claims. This project adds to a growing industry trend, with initiatives such as the Maritime Book and Claim System launched in 2024 by RMI, the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center, ZEMBA, and Hapag-Lloyd, and a five-year MoU signed by Japan’s MOL and Be Forward for a car carrier Book and Claim service to Africa starting in 2025.
- Sat 22:34Widespread adoption of cover crops and no-tillage farming on global croplands could reduce greenhouse gas emissions but often at the expense of crop yields, according to a new study.
- Sat 22:09The surplus of RGGI allowances believed to be held for compliance purposes more than doubled over Q1, according to a report published Friday.
- Sat 17:28A UK-based climate fintech firm has launched a request for proposals to finance carbon credit projects with institutional debt, marking a fresh bid to unlock non-dilutive capital for developers seeking at least $1 million.
- Sat 13:31The European Commission this week proposed changes to its fluorinated gas (F-gas) regulation that would exempt around 10,000 small firms from registering in the EU’s F-gas Portal from 2026, as part of wider efforts to cut regulatory red tape while preserving climate goals.
- Sat 13:15Carbon pricing policies, including both taxes and fossil fuel subsidies, significantly influence countries’ export competitiveness in heavy industries, with coordinated global action key to mitigating trade distortions, a new study has found.
- Sat 01:55Producers added California Carbon Allowance (CCA) and V25 RGGI Allowance (RGA) length ahead of Q2 auctions as investors reduced exposure to US compliance carbon markets, data published Friday by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) showed.
- Sat 01:37Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras injected a record volume of CO2 and continued its purchases from a REDD+ project, according to its annual climate report published Friday.
- Sat 00:42More fuel, please - The Clean Fuels Alliance America, an industry trade group, submitted a letter to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin urging the agency to set its biomass-based diesel volume at certain levels for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in years 2026 and 2027. The group asked the agency to set the 2026 volume at 5.25 bln gallons, and the 2027 volume at 5.75 bln gallons. Kurt Kovarik, the group's vice president of federal affairs, said that these volumes accurately represent current domestic production, investments in new capacity, and increasing US availability of feedstocks. The 2024 volume was 3.04 bln gallons.
- Sat 00:40Zoo boos Bill 5 - The Toronto Zoo is calling on the Ontario government to fund a biobank for the sensitive species it could put at risk with its Bill 5, according to a report by The Trillium. Bill 5 would repeal the Endangered Species Act and replace it with weaker regulations, according to environmental lawyers. Dolf DeJong, CEO of the Toronto Zoo, told a legislature committee currently reviewing the bill the zoo is concerned the act will result in the erosion of biodiversity and the loss of species at risk.
- Fri 22:18One man’s trash… - The Capital Regional District, a local service provider, in partnership with FortisBC Energy, a British Columbia-based natural gas utility, and Waga Energy Canada, a subsidiary of French renewable gas firm Waga Energy, have launched Vancouver Island’s first Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) facility at the Hartland Landfill. Using Waga Energy’s technology, the C$32 mln ($22 mln) facility is expected to produce up to 360,000 gigajoules of RNG annually, reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 475,000 tonnes over 25 years. The facility is designed to capture methane from decomposing landfill waste and inject it into FortisBC’s gas system, displacing conventional natural gas. FortisBC will purchase the RNG at a fixed price and manage injection costs, while Waga Energy will operate and maintain the facility under a 25-year agreement. The project is expected to be fully funded through RNG sales revenue.
- Fri 22:16
Coal clash - The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a brief on Thursday supporting the continuation of a lawsuit by Texas and other states against asset managers BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard, E&E News reported. The suit alleged the firms conspired to limit US coal production by using their shareholder influence. The DOJ and the FTC argued that the Texas court has jurisdiction under federal antitrust law and urged the judge to reject what they described as legal misstatements by the defendants.
- Fri 22:15West Fraser - International forestry company West Fraser, with 50-plus facilities across Canada, the US, the UK, and Europe, has released its 2024 sustainability report. The company said in a press release, its manufacturing operations were powered 75% by renewable energy and all of its mills reduced their carbon footprints. A key highlight was a 22% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to 2019 baseline levels, alongside a 13% reduction in its Scope 3 emissions compared to its 2020 baseline levels. The company said in its report it continues to explore carbon removal strategies.
Storage secured - The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved a right-of-way authorisation allowing Pond Field to use subsurface federally managed pore space for the Sweetwater Carbon Storage Hub project, which involves injecting CO2 underground to prevent atmospheric release. The approval applies to some 44,400 acres (some 18,000 hectares) in Uinta, Sweetwater, and Lincoln counties in Wyoming but excludes state and private lands. The authorisation does not include any proposed surface infrastructure on BLM-managed land.
- Fri 22:11Data demands - Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission on Thursday approved a plan by Milwaukee-based utility We Energies to build nearly $1.5 bln in new gas-fired generation to help meet rising electricity demand from a planned $3.3 bln Microsoft data centre campus near Milwaukee and to offset capacity lost from retiring coal plants. The commission, composed of appointees by Governor Tony Evers (D), voted unanimously amidst objections from environmental groups and consumer advocates who argued that the utility overlooked lower-cost and cleaner alternatives. (E&E News)
Biochar breakthrough - Airex Energy, a Quebec-based developer of decarbonisation technologies, Groupe Remabec, a Quebec-based private forestry company, and SUEZ, a global provider of circular water and waste solutions, have officially inaugurated Carbonity, Canada’s first industrial-scale biochar plant, located in Port-Cartier, Québec. The joint venture aims to begin with an annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of biochar, and triple output by 2026. The facility will be powered by Airex Energy’s technologies and use forestry residues from Groupe Remabec’s operations to produce biochar. Carbonity expects to sequester 75,000 tCO2e per year at full capacity and generate carbon credits for sale on the voluntary market. The facility is supported by funding from the governments of Quebec and Canada.
- Fri 22:03
Driving change - The US Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors, launched the Affordable Clean Cars Coalition on Friday to expand access to affordable clean vehicles and defend state authority under the Clean Air Act. Eleven Alliance states, including California, New York, and Colorado, are expected to coordinate efforts to reduce vehicle emissions, lower cost barriers, and strengthen consumer choice.
- Fri 21:49US EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin indicated this week that the agency is reviewing some “mental leaps” in the scientific findings that underpin a 2009 rule key to many US climate policies, known as the endangerment finding.
- Fri 21:39Canada should strengthen its leadership on methane emission mitigation through firmer targets, enhanced transparency, and better data, according to a new report published on Thursday.
- Fri 21:31A US-based carbon removal (CDR) buyers' coalition focused on nature-based solutions has received an unexpectedly high volume and quality of responses to its inaugural request for proposals (RFP), according to early insights from the process published Friday.
- Fri 20:30A Dutch researcher has estimated the electricity consumption of AI modules and complete AI systems based on global chip production capacity and modules in use.
- A South Africa budget announcement this week has confirmed a proposed price rise for the country's CO2 tax from next year as well as the expansion of carbon credit provisions, which will allow affected entities to use more offsets to meet their obligations.
- Fri 18:15A Jakarta-based research institution released a policy brief this week that calls for taxing individuals and companies if they destroy Indonesia’s biodiversity.
- Fri 17:51Euro Markets: EUAs recover to weekly gain despite looming US tariff threat, UKAs lock in 7% increaseEuropean carbon prices slipped lower on Friday but found resilience above €70 despite US President Donald Trump threatening hefty tariffs on the EU, which sparked a short-lived afternoon sell-off on EUAs, while UKAs secured a 7% weekly gain.
- Fri 17:33A commodities trader has raised its pre-financing support for a large mangroves carbon project, it announced Friday.
- Fri 17:22The GHG emissions from burning fossil fuels must be considered in the environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for their extraction, ruled a European court this week.
- Fri 17:11In a third letter to global climate negotiators, published Friday, Brazilian COP30 President-Designate Andre Correa do Lago urged countries to shift gears when they meet in Bonn next month, warning against postponing important decisions.
- Fri 17:01A non-partisan watchdog released a report on Thursday calling Department of Transportation (DOT) actions to halt a $5 billion programme funding EV charging station deployment across US states a violation of federal law.
- Elimini President Laurie Fitzmaurice gave the keynote speech at this week's Carbon Unbound 2025 conference in New York. Here is a summary of her remarks.
- Fri 15:57An initial agreement struck on Monday to link the EU and UK emissions trading schemes (ETS) includes a key commitment from Britain to ensure “dynamic alignment” with the bloc's carbon market legislation – a move that puts Britain's emissions cap on the negotiating table, sources told Carbon Pulse.
- The European Commission may be throwing the baby out with the bathwater in its ongoing attempt to simplify corporate sustainability reporting obligations, an NGO has warned on Friday.
- Fri 15:40Ghana and Singapore have signalled early support for a proposed Article 6.2 soil carbon project in Ghana’s Upper West Region targeting 3.6 million tonnes of CO2 by 2030, the project developer announced this week.
- Fri 15:38Three companies on Wednesday won an auction held by Brazil’s national development bank for the sustainable management of some 453,000 hectares of Amazonian forest.
- Fri 15:32Saudi CDR - Solar-powered direct air capture (DAC) and energy from waste (EfW) with carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) are highlighted as key carbon removal options for Saudi Arabia to explore by a new scientific paper. The Kingdom is exploring CDR options such as CCS, afforestation, mangrove and wetland restoration in steps to meet its net zero by 2060 goal, but will likely require sector-specific regulations, such as diverting municipal solid waste to EfW plants to get there. Saudi Arabia aims to capture and permanently store 9 Mt of CO2 annually by 2027, with plans to increase this to 44 Mt/year by 2035, though meeting these targets will require extensive and costly infrastructure to support future DAC and BECCS facilities, the paper states. Research by KAPSARC suggest that substantial carbon removal will be required to meet the country’s net zero goals, with estimates suggesting a need for 250–371 Mt/year by 2060.
- Fri 15:23Capacity incapicity - Many African countries, including Zambia, are missing out on the benefits of carbon trading due to limited capacity and a lack of public awareness, according to the African Institute for Carbon Trading and Sustainability (AICTS). CEO Kudakwashe Manyanga highlighted the urgent need for investment in education and capacity building to enable the generation and trade of carbon credits, which are created by projects that reduce or remove carbon emissions. Speaking at the launch of Zambia's new Renewable Energy Certification platform (ZAM–REC), Manyanga stressed that despite efforts by the Zambian government, more must be done to promote carbon trading and ensure citizens, including traditional leaders and students, understand and engage with the sector. MentorMe CEO Elias Chipimo echoed the concerns, noting that information gaps are a major barrier and that platforms like ZAM–REC could help communities access the knowledge needed to benefit from carbon markets. He described the renewable energy certification initiative as a “game-changer” for investors and a vital step toward Zambia meeting its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. (Zambia Monitor)
- Fri 15:15Short-term sea-level changes driven by climatic oscillations such as El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) can trigger widespread mangrove dieback and reverse their role as carbon sinks, a study released Friday has found.
- Fri 15:03Here's our take - Sylvera has published an analysis of the projects applying to transition from the CDM to the PACM. The ratings agency has noted that a large share, around 80%, come from methodologies that are no longer used by voluntary carbon market standards, raising quality concerns. The requirement for these projects to shift to new, upcoming PACM methodologies by the end of the year presents a vital chance to address environmental integrity, they said.
- Listen up - Two CDR experts have recommended how they feel the EU should manage its proposed removals fund. The fund, introduced in a workshop setup by the EU Commission, has the benefit of being implemented relatively quickly and can leverage existing institutional experience, the experts said. Aidan Preston, who recently worked on the US Department of Energy CDR Purchase Pilot, and Robert Höglund, EU CDR Expert Group member, said that setting up the fund communicates public commitment and developers and financial institutions will take cues from the presence of a stable public buyer. However, they cautioned that a small fund would send a small signal, so the size and scope should be ambitious. The experts said that in the near term the mechanism used by the EU to procure CDR credits should allow the programme operators to look beyond cost per credit as a selection criterion and increase market certainty to the greatest extent possible.
- Fri 14:51Digital monitoring - Gold Standard has approved two dMRV (digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification) pilot projects for activities spanning biogas systems in thermal energy generation and safe water supply. These projects were submitted under the dMRV Pilot Programme in Q1 2025 and others interested in applying can do so here. The approved dMRV pilot projects are one at a smallholder dairy biogas project in India, developed by Arukah, and another in Ghana developed by Element15 to quantify carbon reductions from avoided water boiling through improved water access.
- Fri 14:49A lack of familiarity with scientific emissions scenarios is limiting their usefulness for climate decision-making in low- and middle-income countries, according to analysis released Friday.
- Fri 14:49Say no to Nord - The EU is preparing to propose sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines linking Germany and Russia, aiming to block any future revival of the project amid ongoing peace discussions over the war in Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, the European Commission will begin consulting member states shortly, with strong backing from Germany and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who sees the move as a way to end domestic debate over restarting the pipeline. Although Nord Stream 2 was completed but never certified, and partly damaged in 2022, recent speculation about reviving it - spurred in part by US-led peace efforts aimed at the war in Ukraine - has raised concerns. The EU sees a ban as a strategic step to cement its commitment to phasing out Russian gas imports by 2027 and to shield itself from external pressures, including from Russia and the US. While some Eastern European countries and German industries remain dependent on or hopeful for Russian gas, analysts say restarting the Nord Stream routes remains unlikely. The proposed sanctions, part of the EU’s 18th package against Russia, would require unanimous approval from all 27 member states.
- Fri 14:48Net-Zero Industry Act advances - The European Commission adopted four pieces of secondary legislation and a communication on Friday: rules on non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions; an act listing net-zero technology final products and their main specific components; a communication on where the EU's supply of net-zero technologies comes from; common criteria on strategic project selection that allows these projects to benefit from priority status at national level; and a list of specific components for which the Net Zero Industry Act requirements will apply.
- Fri 14:44The European Commission is expected to put forward its legislative proposal for a 2040 climate target ahead of a meeting of EU27 environment ministers on June 17, EU sources said on Friday.
- Fri 14:37CORSIA compliant - The European Commission has adopted its annual updated list of countries other than the EU and EEA countries, Switzerland, and the UK, that are considering applying the UN's CORSIA. China is not on the list, as it has not been for the past few years, while the US remains, for now. The aviation industry is currently in CORSIA's first phase (2024-26), with the 'mandatory' phase starting in 2027, lasting until 2035, for member countries. In the first phase, participation is voluntary for these member states.
- Fri 14:25Cause and effect - A new study, published Friday, analyses how the shift to a low-carbon economy - driven by carbon pricing - affects credit risk within a multisectoral credit portfolio. Using a stochastic model that incorporates GHG emissions costs tied to production and consumption by firms and households, the research links carbon price dynamics to key credit risk metrics: probability of default, expected loss, and unexpected loss. By applying a discounted cash flow approach and a structural credit risk model, the study found that higher carbon prices reduce firm values, increase bank provisions (raising client fees), and lower bank profitability through increased economic capital requirements.
- Fri 14:24Positive on negative - Suriname will remain one of the world's few carbon negative countries even as it prepares to exploit vast offshore oil reserves, President Chan Santokhi has pledged ahead of national elections. With 90% of its territory covered by Amazon rainforest, the South American nation is said to absorb more carbon than it emits. In an interview days before voters head to the polls, Santokhi vowed to protect Suriname’s forests and maintain its carbon negative status, despite plans to begin oil production in 2028. He said future fossil fuel revenue - expected to bring in billions over the next two decades - would fund a transition to green energy. The pledge comes as Suriname grapples with high debt, inflation, and widespread poverty. Sunday's elections will determine the 51 members of parliament, who will then choose the next president. Santokhi is seeking a second term, but no party is currently favoured to win outright. (AFP)
- Singapore and Paraguay on Friday signed a final implementation agreement on carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the seventh of its kind sealed by the Southeast Asian country.
- Fri 14:08The UK Court of Appeal on Thursday dismissed a legal challenge brought by an environmental campaigner against the British government’s decision to approve a major gas-fired power station with carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Teesside, ruling that ministers had acted lawfully in balancing the project’s emissions with national climate goals.
- Stop it now! - Civil society organisations in the Republic of Congo and internationally are demanding an immediate ban on oil and mining operations in the Conkouati-Douli National Park, ahead of the First Global Congress of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities of Forest Basins. The protest centres on the government’s plan to issue the ‘Niambi’ hydrocarbon exploration permit to Oriental Energy, covering nearly 1,300 sq. km, much of it within the park’s core protected zone - an area legally off-limits to such activity under Congolese law. Critics argue the move would threaten endangered species, violate Indigenous rights, and contradict Congo’s own environmental commitments, including its 30x30 conservation target and obligations under national and international laws. The park supports around 7,000 residents and is home to species such as lowland gorillas and humpback dolphins. Activists highlight a broader trend of protected areas in the Congo Basin being opened up for extractive activities. NGOs are urging President Denis Sassou Nguesso to cancel the permit and any others affecting the park and are calling on international donors to condition conservation aid on meaningful protections for forest communities and ecosystems. (Rainforest Foundation UK)
- The largest political party in the European Parliament, the European People's Party (EPP), is pushing to delay final talks on the Green Claims Directive (GCD), currently slated for June 10, according to multiple sources close to the file.
- Fri 13:59A large non-profit will start work on a €32.7-million German-backed project that could help the Philippines meet its global climate and nature targets, it announced this week.
- Fri 13:11UK standard body Social Carbon has launched an insetting framework for supply chains in forestry, land use, and agriculture (FLAG).
- Fri 12:18
Hacked n' snacked - UST held its annual Zero-Waste Hackathon 2025 on Thursday in London, challenging students and young professionals to devise tech-driven solutions to tackle food waste. Drawing 88 entries from across the globe, the event featured 10 finalist teams from India, Spain, the US, and the UK, with five attending in person and five competing virtually. Participants focused on reducing buffet and hospitality sector food waste using AI-based tools. UK team Zero Forks won with a gamified app promoting household food waste reduction through behavioural science, while India’s Cul Intel impressed judges with an AI platform optimising menu design, portioning, and food redistribution. The top teams shared a £1,500 prize pool. Judges from AWS, Compass Group, Levy, and 40 Percent praised the innovation and commitment to sustainability.
- Fri 12:10A Canadian environmental consultancy focused on pyrolysis and biochar will cease its activities in the carbon markets, it announced this week, marking the end of the firm’s seven-year journey in the offset space.
- Fri 11:22Some depleted oil and gas reservoirs in onshore Queensland could be repurposed as compressed air energy storage (CAES) and offer a decarbonisation solution, according to researchers.
- Fri 11:10Permit prices in China’s national emissions market this week again fell below the RMB 70 ($9.72) mark amid mounting selling pressure, remaining at 16-month lows, while the country's offset market still saw credits traded above RMB 80.
- Fri 10:54UN officials tasked with helping to shape the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) will review and discuss a new clean cooking crediting programme at the next methodological expert meeting in July.
- Greener construction - Saint Gobain is launching a new low-carbon stone wool insulation facility in Leicestershire, central England, which is expected to start operations in 2027. The plant will initially produce 50,000 tonnes per year of stone wool insulation for the British market, with the potential to double its output to 100,000 tonnes per year. It aims to reduce the embodied carbon of construction projects by lowering the Scope 1 and 2 CO2 footprint of stone wool insulation, and is part of the construction manufacturer's commitment to reach net zero by 2050. The plant will have a renewably powered electric furnace. (Roofing Today)
- Fri 10:13Ship retrofits - Estonia's government has launched a €25 mln grant to incentivise shipowners to carry out green retrofits on their vessels such as carbon capture technologies, hybrid engines, renewable fuel-powered equipment, and exhaust gas cleaning systems. This makes it one of only a few European countries to offer direct financial support for ship retrofits in the form of state aid. If successful in their application, shipowners and operators will receive subsidies covering 15%-30% of the eligible retrofit costs, up to a maximum of €5 mln per project. The government will consider factors such as the ship’s flag state, how frequently it visits Estonian ports, and the kind of work to be carried out when assigning funding. (Cruise & Ferry)
- Fri 09:49The head of Australia’s carbon market industry body will resign on July 4, the organisation announced Friday.
- Fri 09:32An Australian direct air capture (DAC) startup has signed an agreement to deploy solar-powered DAC modules in Kenya, as interest grows in using the Great Rift Valley’s geology and renewables for CO2 removal projects.
- Fri 09:18Accredited asphalt - Australian firm C-Twelve has signed a 10-year agreement with Verde Resources to exclusively partner on low-carbon asphalt commercialisation in the US after signing a late-2024 term sheet. The pair conducted two trials in Alabama in December and April, confirming their asphalt can be created without burning 95% of the fossil fuels typically used, they said, cutting emissions steeply. They plan to generate carbon removal credits also. Last month the pair generated biochar-based removal credits from their asphalt which were certified by Puro.earth and purchased by an unnamed financial institution.
- Fri 08:47A prominent New Zealand legal group has questioned the government’s seriousness about meeting its 2030 international climate targets, given its latest budget provides no funding to purchasing overseas carbon credits.
- Fri 08:07Fridgeonomics - Thai food processing company Better Foods has partnered with Japanese trading firm Kanematsu Corp to install energy-efficient refrigeration systems at a distribution centre in Lopburi province. Under the JCM, the project employs CO2 and ammonia-based indirect cooling to reduce emissions. The project is expected to reduce emissions by 4,559 tCO2e over a decade. The Japanese government is also seeking JCM project proposals that can provide benefits beyond emissions reductions.
- Fri 07:50Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCUs) issuances rose in April, largely generated by landfill gas projects, as market prices slowly pick up despite a lull in activity.
- Fri 07:32More oil - China’s first offshore carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) project has begun operations at the Enping 15-1 oil platform in the Pearl River Mouth Basin, state-owned CNOOC said. The platform captures CO2 during oil extraction, injecting it into undersea reservoirs at 8 tonnes per hour, boosting crude output. The site, Asia’s largest offshore oil platform, is expected to inject over 1 mln tonnes of CO2 and increase oil output by 200,000 tonnes over the next decade. Fossil fuel companies have been using CO2 injection to extract yet even more oil.
- Fri 07:31Land management - Hong Kong-listed China Carbon Neutral Development Group has signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with a subsidiary of the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen to promote saline-alkali land management activities, it announced Friday. They plan to implement phased projects this year, targeting one mln mu (164,736 acres) of such lands. In the mid to long term, the alliance aims to expand the scope of saline-alkali land utilisation and carbon sink restoration projects to 200 mln mu domestically and internationally.
- Fri 05:56Won’t leak - Malaysia will enforce strict environmental and legal safeguards in a planned deal to store Japan’s liquefied CO2 in offshore depleted gas fields from 2030, the government said, according to local media. A memorandum of understanding with Japan is expected later this year, involving Mitsui, Kansai Electric Power, and Petronas, as per a Nikkei Asia report from April. Up to 10 mln tonnes of CO2 could be stored annually under the project. Malaysia’s environment ministry said the storage will be subject to rigorous impact assessments, real-time monitoring, and a dedicated legal framework. Officials added Malaysia’s emissions targets under the Paris Agreement would remain unaffected unless leakage occurs.
- Building together - The government of Panama announced a new collaboration with the VCMI to support the development of a high-integrity carbon market for the country, while also supporting Panama’s efforts for its nationally determined contribution and nature goals. VCMI will provide in-house support to the country’s Ministry of Environment (MINAM) and hire two regional experts, in part to help design a transparent carbon market governance according to Article 6 and other global best practices.
- Fri 02:53Federal overreach – The US Government Accountability Office on Thursday said the Department of Transportation’s action to suspend funding for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program in February violated federal law by delaying expenditures for the programme. Although the DOT cannot withhold funds under the Impoundment Control Act (ICA), the agency can propose funds for rescission or push for legislation to make changes to programme for consideration by Congress, said GAO. Opposition against climate measures in the US has gained momentum since President Donald Trump took office. On Thursday, the US Senate voted 51-44 to deny California the authority to set its own emissions standard, revoking three waivers that aimed to ramp up EV adoption in the state.
- Fri 02:36Try, try, try again - The Trump administration is appealing an order requiring federal agencies to restore climate, agriculture, and energy grants. The Justice Department is asking the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to intervene with the order to unfreeze grants, after a South Carolina federal district court denied a request to delay a permanent injunction earlier this week. (E&E News)
- Fri 02:06A Peruvian court has ordered the country's government to define the boundaries of Kichwa ancestral lands located within two state-designated protected natural areas (PNAs), sources told Carbon Pulse, a move that could have potential repercussions for one of the largest REDD projects in the world facing a similar lawsuit.
- Fri 02:05Oregon Democrat legislators on Thursday reintroduced talks to establish a cap-and-trade scheme that would replace the Climate Protection Program (CPP) and eventually link with similar markets along the West Coast.
- Fri 02:04California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) traded within a narrow range into the second quarterly permit sale this week as the risk of federal legal action against the programme remains while trade in Washington Carbon Allowances (WCAs) activity was limited.
- Fri 01:57The EU’s top court on Thursday upheld a European Commission decision denying a Swedish miner a more generous carbon allowance allocation under the bloc’s ETS, ruling that iron ore pellets are not direct substitutes for sintered ore within the scheme.
- Fri 01:56Maryland Governor Wes Moore (D) vetoed bills that would use state funding to study the cost of GHG emissions, before passing two energy packages aimed at lessening the burden of electricity costs on consumers.
- Fri 01:01A company specialised in CO2 storage and a carbon credit platform – both based in British Columbia – announced Thursday a broad deal for the sale of some 300,000 carbon removal (CDR) credits annually.
