Taking applications – Brazil’s National Bank for Social and Economic Development (BNDES), state-owned oil giant Petrobras, and the Financier of Studies and Projects (Finep) – which is linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation – announced Wednesday a public call for the selection of the managing and structuring entity for the Equity Investment Fund (FIP). The EIP fund will be dedicated to energy transition and decarbonisation, aiming to take minority stakes in startups and technology-based micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Brazil. CCUS and sustainable fuels are among the target areas of investment for the EIP, which the partners said may reach up to R$500 mln ($88.8 mln), with BNDES, Petrobras, and Finep planning to provide R$435 mln collectively. The selection process is expected to be completed in October, and operations to start in the first half of 2026. The total term of the FIP will be up to 12 years.

Tiny tweaks - Verra has published updates to its building weatherisation methodology VM0008, it said Wednesday. This follows a public consultation that ended January. VM0008 quantifies the greenhouse gas emission reductions that result from the weatherisation of dwellings and the implementation of energy efficiency measures in single-family homes, multi-family buildings, or mobile homes. Examples include improved air sealing, enhanced insulation, and replacements of refrigerators or air conditioning units. The revision expands the methodology’s scope to include heat pumps and heat pump water heaters.

A US-based, climate-focused investment firm announced it raised over $400 million for its latest early-stage fund, with capital to be deployed into digital and software-enabled companies supporting decarbonisation.

Wet data - On Wednesday, CarbonPlan released a new, model-based dataset and tool to help characterise how well direct ocean removal (DOR), a marine CDR approach, works depending on where and when it is performed.

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.

A quiet place - Net zero is entering an era of quiet progress, according to Michelle You, CEO of Supercritical, in an op-ed published Wednesday on the WEF website. She highlighted a significant shift in corporate climate strategies. While public climate commitments and high-profile pledges have diminished, companies are intensifying their efforts to achieve net zero emissions through substantive actions, particularly focusing on durable carbon removal, she added.

Clear as mud - The latest draft version of the CLEAR cookstoves methodology, along with an updated explanation of decisions document, will be posted on the 4C website in June, the organisation said. This compared to a previous end-of-May expectation. UN officials tasked with helping to shape the PACM are also due to review and discuss a new clean cooking crediting programme at the next methodological expert meeting in the summer.

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.

A Japanese project has begun testing a new method to measure blue carbon using satellite-guided underwater drones and artificial intelligence (AI), in a bid to accelerate seaweed bed conservation and simplify the certification of blue carbon credits under the country’s J-Blue Credit system.

Portfolio access - ClimeFi has joined forces with XPrize to bring carbon removal buyers access to a portfolio featuring the winners and finalists of the $100 mln XPrize carbon removal competition. By engaging with the initiative, buyers can access solutions from developers including Mati Carbon, Undo, and NetZero, with diversified exposure, competitive terms, reduced barriers to entry, and guaranteed supply, according to a press release.

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.

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.

An online agtech company has partnered with a Hong-Kong based blockchain network to tokenise carbon credits, in a deal that could see up to 1 million REDD+ in Mexico moved on-chain, the company claimed.

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.

Open to all - The Calyx Global Platform is now open for public access, providing more organisations with information on carbon credit quality, according to a LinkedIn statement. The carbon research provider is making tiered GHG integrity ratings available to all, alongside project-level SDG impact ratings, and a search-and-compare tool. It's expected to help professionals simplify due diligence when buying credits, avoid reputational risk, and invest in credits that deliver tangible impact. View the platform here.

Brazil's Federal Public Ministry (MPF) filed a lawsuit Tuesday requesting the immediate suspension of an international contract for the purchase and sale of carbon credits signed between the state of Para and a coalition of international governments and multinational corporations.

International carbon exchange ACX Group has teamed up with a local Argentinian marketplace to launch what it claims to be the country’s first digital carbon exchange, the company announced Wednesday.

An Asian forest fund has invested in a Vietnamese timber company, its first step into the Southeast Asian country.