No demand - Ryanair has quietly discontinued its passenger carbon offsetting scheme and carbon calculator, citing low uptake, The Irish Times reports. The airline had allowed passengers to pay a small fee to fund environmental projects, but participation never exceeded 3%. The initiative raised over €3.5 mln by 2022 and supported projects including Renature Monchique – a reforestation project in the Algarve; the distribution of energy-efficient cookstoves in Uganda by First Climate; Balikesir’s Wind Power Plant Project in Turkey, and Improved Kitchen Regimes in Malawi powered by CO2 Balance (the latter two in partnership with Shell). Despite promoting itself as Europe’s "greenest airline", Ryanair faced criticism and regulatory pushback over misleading sustainability claims. Advertising authorities in the UK and Netherlands previously ruled that the airline’s green marketing was deceptive, particularly the suggestion that carbon offsetting made flying sustainable. Following these rulings, Ryanair modified its website to clarify that CO2 compensation does not negate the environmental impact of flying, and removed icons such as green leaves.

The West African Development Bank (BOAD) is planning to launch a carbon market place during COP30 in Belem later this year, with an aim to consolidate and channel funding for carbon market development in the West African region, a bank official announced Friday.

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.

Back to Baku - Azerbaijan and the World Bank have explored potential collaboration on carbon pricing, as part of efforts to support the country’s transition to a green economy. At a meeting hosted by Azerbaijan’s State Tax Service, discussions focused on the World Bank’s Partnership for Market Readiness and how carbon pricing mechanisms could align with national reforms aimed at boosting energy efficiency and economic diversification. Deputy Tax Chief Samira Musayeva highlighted Azerbaijan’s ongoing tax incentives for green initiatives, emphasising that carbon pricing requires fair, well-researched implementation. World Bank senior climate change specialist Yasemin Orucu recommended that Azerbaijan, if it proceeds, consider launching an upstream carbon tax on fuel imports via the existing excise duty system. This could initially cover around 60% of emissions and evolve into a broader emissions trading system, with revenues used to support low-income households. The discussions took place during a two-day workshop co-hosted by the government and the World Bank. The event introduced global best practices in carbon pricing and examined how mechanisms such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) may impact Azerbaijan. The second day focused on international carbon markets, presenting a readiness assessment for Azerbaijan’s participation in Article 6 frameworks of the Paris Agreement. The World Bank presented tools such as the Mitigation Action Assessment Protocol and a roadmap to navigate carbon markets.

Kenya could access $5-8 billion in carbon credit revenues under Article 6 and the UN’s CORSIA aviation offsetting scheme – but only if the government makes strategic public policy choices, according to the head of Kenya’s carbon industry grouping.

Fifteen months of the Israel-led military conflict in Gaza have led to projected emissions greater than the annual emissions of dozens of countries, a study has shown, adding to concerns that global conflicts threaten climate targets as well as lives.

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.

Companies subject to Singapore's carbon tax will be allowed to carry over unused international carbon credit (ICC) allowances into 2025, as authorities acknowledge supply constraints in the carbon offset market that have left firms struggling to source eligible credits.

No brainer - A new study from University College London’s (UCL) Energy Institute suggests that dual-fuel ammonia propulsion could offer the most cost-effective compliance pathway for shipowners under the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) forthcoming carbon pricing structure - provided safety concerns are resolved. UCL’s modelling of the IMO’s complex carbon pricing system, agreed in principle at MEPC 83, found that while LNG-fuelled ships may be more economical in the short term, dual-fuel ammonia vessels will become the least-cost option by the mid-2030s. This shift occurs as the IMO’s emissions intensity standards tighten, increasing compliance costs for fossil-based fuels like LNG. The study's authors called dual-fuel ammonia a “no brainer” choice, citing its ability to generate valuable surplus emissions units - credits earned by exceeding IMO standards - which can be sold to offset fuel costs. Blue ammonia, produced from natural gas with carbon capture, was identified as the only fuel with abatement costs lower than initial penalty prices and capable of generating significant surplus units into the mid-2030s. Ammonia propulsion also offers operators greater flexibility, as dual-fuel ships can run on a range of fuels, including fossil fuels, biofuels, blue ammonia and e-ammonia, allowing owners to adapt to fluctuating energy prices. Conversely, UCL warned that LNG's high emissions intensity limits its long-term viability under the IMO’s rules, unless costly onboard carbon capture is installed. The report cautioned that LNG bunkering infrastructure may become a stranded asset if ammonia gains traction. (Maritime Executive)

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.