A recently formed coalition of California infrastructure businesses and labour union groups laid out their funding priorities from cap-and-trade auction revenues as lawmakers work on programme re-authorisation.

A different kind of green spin - Heineken is scaling up its forest restoration work in Brazil through a new business-minded approach that could serve as a model for climate-positive operations in the corporate sector, Capital Reset reports. Although the Dutch brewer began planting trees in Brazil three years before it launched local operations in 2010, its commitment has evolved from philanthropic support to a structured green investment strategy. The launch of Heineken Spin in 2024 - a dedicated unit focused on forests, renewable energy, glass recycling, and social impact - marks a pivot towards financially sustainable environmental action. By early 2026, Heineken will have planted 860,000 trees in Brazil, more than it had in the previous 17 years combined. The push is driven by Spin’s aim to balance impact with financial discipline: it received an initial R$150 mln ($26.2 mln) investment and is expected to operate without further capital injections. Projects are now designed backwards from key performance indicators, including water replenishment and carbon removal, to ensure long-term viability. The reforestation programme, developed with agroforestry firm Rizoma Agro, is restoring 830 hectares in Itu, Sao Paulo. Half will be completed by early 2026. Around 100 hectares will also be used for organic lemon farming, boosting local ecosystems and contributing to water infiltration thanks to the trees' deep root systems. Heineken expects these efforts to generate 997 mln cubic metres of water over five years - 50% more than its local operations will consume - and remove 500,000 tonnes of CO2 over 25 years. These climate benefits will be used to reduce the company’s global emissions footprint, rather than being sold as carbon credits, as it targets net zero by 2040.

A Brazilian community association has accused a local carbon offset project developer of harassment and unauthorised use of traditional lands in the Amazon, escalating tensions over benefit-sharing the country’s jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) schemes.

Overruled - The Attorney General of Brazil's Para state and his predecessor took actions that effectively overruled lower-level prosecutors and supported the state government's push to advance controversial COP30-related projects - including environmentally damaging roadworks and a high-value carbon credit agreement, Folha de S.Paulo reports. At the centre of the conflict is the expansion and extension of Rua da Marinha, a major avenue in Belem that borders Amazonian vegetation. Although a lower court initially halted the project due to environmental concerns, including the removal of over 60 tree species - some endangered - the decision was overturned in higher court. Then-Attorney General Cesar Mattar Jr. supported the state’s position in court, contradicting an earlier request for suspension filed by local prosecutors from the Ministerio Publico do Estado do Para (MPPA). The project is part of the state’s infrastructure plan ahead of COP30, which Belem will host in November, and is funded in part by a R$248.5 mln ($43.4 mln) loan from Brazil's development bank BNDES. While the city government refused to grant an environmental licence for the project, citing its ecological impacts, the state overrode that decision - a move accepted by both the courts and the development bank. In a separate matter, current Attorney General Alexandre Tourinho intervened to counter a recommendation made jointly by state and federal prosecutors (MPPA and MPF) calling for the cancellation of a R$1 bln offset deal with the LEAF Coalition. The deal involves the future sale of jurisdictional carbon credits by Para’s state environmental asset company, CAAP. The prosecutors warned that the contract could amount to an illegal advance sale of carbon credits under Brazil’s new carbon market law, and that it was signed without proper consultation with traditional communities, including Indigenous and quilombola groups. Tourinho requested that the recommendation be suspended, citing the need for legal certainty and market stability. The National Council of the Public Prosecutors’ Office (CNMP) subsequently froze the recommendation and scheduled a conciliation hearing. The state argues the agreement is a lawful preliminary agreement with no payment due before emissions reductions are verified, and has pledged to begin consultations with affected communities. Critics, however, maintain that both the roadworks and carbon deal show how Para's prosecutors' leadership has acted to shield the state government from environmental accountability ahead of COP30.

Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) has signed an agreement with a local carbon offset firm to compensate for all greenhouse gas emissions linked to the institution's operations in 2023 and 2024, as part of broader efforts to decarbonise the country’s judiciary.

Maine has enacted a new law requiring forest landowners to report their participation in carbon credit programmes, becoming the second US state to establish a public tracking system for forest-based offsets.

Qatar-based Global Carbon Council (GCC) will in July launch an interoperable and integrated carbon market and national registry infrastructure to speed up the implementation of Article 6.2 under the Paris Agreement, its chief operations officer told Carbon Pulse on Friday.

Carbon Pulse has made a string of new hires across Europe and Latin America that will add to its already industry-leading coverage of carbon and nature markets across the regions, as well as bolster its data journalism offering.

Hawaiian Green Fee - Hawaii has introduced a new tax on tourists to fund climate resilience and environmental protection projects. Under Act 96, the state’s transient accommodations tax (TAT) will increase by 0.75% to 11%, effective from Jan. 1, 2026. The fee will apply to hotel guests, short-term rentals, and for the first time cruise ship passengers. The so-called "Green Fee" is expected to generate $100 mln annually to support initiatives related to climate resilience, sustainable tourism, and environmental stewardship. Governor Josh Green said the measure is essential for protecting the islands from future climate-related disasters, referencing the deadly 2023 Maui wildfires as a catalyst for the policy. The law seeks to ensure that all visitors contribute to maintaining Hawaii’s natural and economic resources, with the revenue stream proposed by the state’s Climate Advisory Team as a key disaster preparedness measure.

Washington state has released draft proposals outlining how emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries (EITEs) could continue to receive no-cost carbon allowances from 2035 under its cap-and-invest programme, as part of a process to advise lawmakers on the carbon market’s future allocation policy.

Dutch carbon project developer DGB Group reported a wider annual loss for 2024 and received a disclaimer of opinion from its auditor, raising concerns about financial governance even as the company marks progress in project validation and revenue generation.

Brazil's Federal Public Prosecutors Office (MPF) has published a series of recommendations for its members to follow in order to protect the rights of Indigenous peoples and traditional communities during the development and planning of carbon credit projects.

Investors pared down net length in V25 California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) to November levels in wake of tempered expectations for the Q2 auction, while closing out their RGGI Allowance (RGA) and Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) long holdings in the face of regulatory uncertainty, according to US Commodity Trading Futures Commission’s (CFTC) data published Friday.

Canada eh? - The Canadian carbon removal (CDR) industry vouched for government and corporate-supported scale-up beyond the voluntary carbon market at technology conference WebSummit Vancouver on Friday. During a panel hosted by funder NorthX Climate Tech, panellists said that regulation needs to kick in and the cost of removals need to come down, with the eventual goal of offering CDR-as-a-service to high-emitting industries, in order to unlock the trillion-dollar market by 2050. Paul Needham, CEO of CDR developer Arca, called on governments to commit to purchasing CDR credits, noting an opportune moment for federal government as Canada holds the G7 presidency this year. Some experts have said that the next four years under PM Mark Carney will have "tremendous" impacts on the industry's future in the country. 

The US pulp and paper industry under-reports its emissions by nearly four times its true volumes due to accounting exemptions under the US EPA, an environmental non-profit said in a report Thursday.

A Charleston court will decide whether to dismiss a climate lawsuit filed against oil and gas companies, and the recent hearing could signal a potential shift in favour away from the environmental plaintiffs.

Deforestation data - In Apr. 2025, the Brazilian Amazon lost over 230 sq. km of forest, a 24% increase compared to the same month in the previous year, according to a report published Thursday by Belem-based scientific research non-profit Imazon. The most deforested states were Amazonas (40%), Mato Grosso (38%), and Para (11%), which together concentrate 89% of the total affected area. The most impacted conservation unit during the month was Triunfo do Xingu in Para, while the most affected settlement was Rio Juma in Amazonas. Seasonal deforestation remained up about 18% from 2024 levels.

A climate non-profit focused on decarbonising cookstoves is partnering with eight project developers to test-run a tool designed to ensure integrity in cookstove credits.

Fuel imports in the Golden State must rise to meet demand in the wake of two refinery closures, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a steep increase in marine shipping emissions, California regulators said at a state assembly hearing on Wednesday.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has cut more than $3 billion in funding across two dozen projects targeting emissions reductions, according to a Friday announcement.

Oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River in the northern part of Brazil would increase CO2e emissions by a total of 4.7 billion tonnes, according to a new analysis published this Friday.

Boeing announced a multimillion-dollar investment aimed at supporting clean energy development and economic growth in Canada on Wednesday, specifically targeting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies.

The UN Global Compact (UNGC) has released a guide to mobilise and scale finance to support the transition towards a sustainable ocean economy, projected to reach $5.5 trillion by 2050.

Too hot to handle - The daughter of Juliana Leon, a 65-year-old Oregon woman who died of heatstroke during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome, is suing seven oil and gas companies for wrongful death. The lawsuit, filed by Misti Leon, alleges that her mother’s death was a “direct and foreseeable consequence” of the companies’ role in promoting fossil fuels and failing to warn the public about their contribution to climate change. It claims the defendants knowingly drove climate-related disasters through continued fossil fuel advocacy and a “deception campaign” that obstructed public understanding and adaptation efforts. Juliana Leon died on the hottest day ever recorded in Seattle after travelling 100 miles for a routine medical check-up. (E&E News)

A UK-based registry has launched a standard for nature-based solutions that integrates offsetting, insetting and nature stewardship.

Concerns about the shrinking value of the voluntary carbon market (VCM) have been brushed aside by participants who paint a bright future for their market.

Property rights are not sufficiently considered in biodiversity finance governance, despite determining who controls and benefits from these funds, a group of researchers said this week.

Tech behemoth Microsoft on Thursday reported that its total greenhouse gas emissions have risen by more than 23% from 2020 levels, driven by the rapid expansion of its AI and cloud infrastructure, even as the company significantly increased investments in carbon removals and clean energy.

The US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Thursday curtailed environmental review mandates for infrastructure projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

RJ Reynolds Vapor Company and its parent British American Tobacco (BAT) are facing a proposed class action lawsuit in California alleging they misled consumers by falsely claiming that their Vuse vape products are carbon neutral by using offsets tied to questionable forestry projects.

The US Federal Reserve disbanded several committees tasked with assessing financial risks and vulnerabilities related to climate change, media reported Wednesday, reflecting a broader rollback in the financial sector.

Carbon under soil - The Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro stores more than 300 mln tonnes of carbon in its soil, according to a new study published by the national agricultural research agency Embrapa. The researchers identified 189 mln tonnes of carbon at a depth of 0-20 cm, and 119 mln tonnes at 30-50 cm. The values of carbon storage were obtained from the National Forest Inventory in the State of Rio de Janeiro (IFN), developed by the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB) between 2013 and 2016. The idea is that the data will support public policies and help to promote the carbon market in the state.

A regional Brazilian development bank announced this week it will offer R$7.8 billion ($1.4 bln) in sustainable credit to projects in areas including environmental recovery, low-carbon agriculture, and green hydrogen, among others.

A Sao Paulo-based carbon trading firm and an agricultural producer in Brazil’s Cerrado region are collaborating on a large-scale soil carbon project.