Proposals for some form of US carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) should include the implementation of a national carbon price, as well as exempt exporting entities for their domestic CO2 costs, according to a report.

Just $1.2 billion currently flows to marine protection annually, compared to the $15.8 bln needed every year to protect and conserve at least 30% of the world's oceans by 2030, according to a report released on Thursday.

As the EU prepares to roll out its second Emissions Trading System (EU ETS2), a study has found that revenue frontloading could ease the transition to carbon pricing for transport and heating while accelerating climate action.

The White House last week requested Congress claw back over $2 billion in international finance appropriated to the US State Department, citing concerns about its use for climate projects.

EU carbon prices gave up a mid-morning rally to end Wednesday fractionally higher, after early strength driven by firmer natural gas and equities as well as the lack of a daily auction, with participants eyeing a recent upside resistance zone around €74.00, wile UKAs continued to hold on just above a key psychological level.

EU member states have cut their gas consumption by 15.6% compared to 2017-22, exceeding a voluntary target agreed last year, even though total consumption actually rose slightly compared to last year, according to fresh data.

Security is becoming the main concern when developing tomorrow's energy system, with a stable power supply critical to these plans, said European energy executives at an industry event on Wednesday.

A Switzerland-headquartered blockchain platform aims to address organic waste methane emissions from landfills it says are rampant yet avoidable, pairing carbon with so-called recycling credits to help companies meet both their decarbonisation and extended producer responsibility (EPR) goals.

Warning shot - The German government needs to backtrack on its decision to strip the foreign office of its responsibility for international climate action, warns a new report published Wednesday. Climate change and security are closely linked and require a holistic approach because water scarcity, extreme weather, hunger, and poverty all contribute to regional instability, according to the New Climate Institute. Germany should consistently embed the fight against climate change as an integral part of its foreign policy and security strategy, the report on international climate policy said. In parallel, Germany should strengthen the resilience of vulnerable countries to counteract climate-related instability. The report also advocated the German government should actively participate in the financing of Loss and Damage and climate adaptation, as well as by supporting the UN Climate Security Mechanism. The new coalition government of Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU/CSU alliance and the Social Democrats (SPD) has signalled continuity on energy transition policy, but has downgraded the profile of climate action after returning national and international policy remit to the environment ministry, according to the authors.

The lower house of the Moroccan legislature on Monday passed a bill empowering a domestic body to issue certificates validating companies’ reporting about embedded carbon, as the North African government prepares for EU CBAM compliance from 2026.

For the end-consumers - European electricity suppliers announced their intention to support residential customers on their energy transition journey. They committed to communicate smarter with personalised, multilingual advice and real-time alerts; engage all consumers; boost efficiency through tailored energy-saving tips and smart tools; promote demand flexibility to help consumers save; and support grid resilience.

Denmark's climate and energy minister said on Wednesday that his country has not asked the European Commission for the inclusion of international (Article 6) credits to meet the EU's 2040 emission reduction target, insisting however that the decision needs to be a collective one.

A technology company that uses artificial intelligence to uncover root scope 3 emissions has raised $30 million in Series B funding.

Fresh head at Xpansiv – Infrastucture provider Xpansiv has appointed market data leader Andrea Remyn Stone to its Board of Directors. Stone currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Zema Global Data Corporation, and has acted as an adviser to the Xpansiv Board since May 2023. Previously, she held senior leadership roles at the London Stock Exchange Group, including CEO, group head of data and analytics and chief product officer.  She also served as chief customer proposition officer at Refinitiv, and has held executive roles at S&P, Dealogic, Bloomberg, and ION. In addition to her new role at Xpansiv, Stone sits on the board of Alkymi.io.

The EU ETS and UN CORSIA international aviation offsetting scheme have a "collaboration issue" which will come to a head in 2027, according to a new report from an international consultancy.

Shifted focus - Six senior staff members of the Bank of England who resigned from climate and nature risk monitoring roles between 2020 and last year told the FT that climate change has become less of a focus under governor Andrew Bailey. Some said he had moved the BoE away from risks perceived as 'soft' and difficult to quantify. Previous BoE  governor Mark Carney was one of the first central bankers to highlight the threat of climate change to financial stability, but the debate over central banks' influence on minimising climate risks to the financial system has recently shifted. In Feb. 2024 Bailey acknowledged the financial stability risk posed by climate change but said "the depth and breadth of the work we do will be trimmed back somewhat”. The only climate stress test conducted by the BoE to date forecast an average 10-15% annual “drag on profits” from climate change for banks and insurers. The test has yet to be repeated.

Establishing a dedicated carbon regulator in the UK could reduce reporting burdens, raise data quality, and strengthen investor confidence by standardising emissions accounting and coordinating oversight, proponents argued on a webinar on Wednesday, building on mounting calls for the establishment of an entity to oversee emissions policy.

After a consistent decline in 2020-23, average CO2 emissions from newly registered cars in Europe increased in 2024, according to provisional data released today by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

CORSIA monitoring - The European Commission has adopted a Delegated Regulation setting out rules for the monitoring, reporting, and verification of aviation emissions for the purpose of implementing the aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA within the European Economic Area. This adoption aligns with the EU ETS, ensuring that aircraft operators based in the area meet the offsetting requirement under CORSIA for flights outside the ETS during 2021-23 and 2024-26. The adopted act will now be transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council and provided there's no objection in the next two months, the act will be published and will enter into force thereafter.

Demand is growing to decarbonise new gas plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS), particularly to serve the spiralling electricity demand of AI-led data centres, said an industrial group executive, who emphasised the importance of thermal power to maintain system flexibility.

Premium pricing and technical complexity are stalling corporate demand for biochar carbon removal, creating procurement hurdles even as companies face pressure to meet net zero targets, according to market participants.

May saw a major jump in issuances in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), while monthly retirements also soared 75% year-on-year, putting the market back on track for a record year, new Carbon Pulse analysis of registry data shows.

Go faster - British MPs have urged the UK government to speed up the build out of power generation and grid upgrades needed to reach the country's 2030 target for 95% clean electricity. Planning delays, resource shortages, and regulatory barriers are holding back progress, and without an acceleration, the government risks missing its 2030 goal, wrote the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee in a report. The Committee recommends the government publish progress updates every 6 months, ring-fence planning fees for local authorities, and make clear how grid access will be prioritised for key sectors. It's also called for those affected by zonal electricity pricing to be supported, which it believes could cut bills and improve grid efficiency if carefully managed. (edie.net)

Emerging frameworks in the voluntary water credit market are paving the way for fresh private capital to address the ongoing water crisis, with early movers looking for local buyers.

A significant portion of EU ETS revenues should be directed towards industrial decarbonisation efforts, including electrification, a lobby group said Tuesday.