Countries allied with Canada want to buy the nation’s lower-emissions energy, the federal natural resources minister said Monday, in an announcement to fund several homegrown carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technology companies.

Ammonia afloat – Aragon, a subsidiary of Singapore-based engineering group Seatrium, has secured approval in principle from the American Bureau of Shipping for its Bluebell floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit, which is designed to lower zero-carbon ammonia costs and increase gas monetisation fourfold, Offshore Energy reported. The FPSO will use natural gas reforming with more than 95% carbon capture to produce refrigerated blue ammonia for export, incorporating syngas purification, Haber-Bosch ammonia processing, CO₂ capture and liquefaction, and onboard air separation systems.

Hydrogen hookup - SHS Group, owner of German steelmakers Dillinger and Saarstahl, has signed a 10-year deal with France’s Verso Energy to supply at least 6,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually starting in 2029, FCW reported. The hydrogen will be produced at Verso’s planned CarlHYng electrolyser in Carling, France, and delivered via the mosaHYc pipeline to Saarland steel plants. SHS said the supply will support its Power4Steel project, aimed at cutting emissions by up to 55% in the early 2030s, with long-term plans to use as much as 120,000 tonnes per year. German and Saarland officials called the agreement a significant step for both the regional hydrogen economy and industrial decarbonisation.

Let the sun capture CO2 - Harvard researchers published a report last month in the scientific journal Nature Chemistry that provides a framework for a technology behind solar-powered CO2 management. The research team from the university’s Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology considered a design of photoreversible aqueous bases – a chemical system where its ability to act as a base can be switched on and off by light. The system they design is oxygen stable, can be driven by natural sunlight, and captures or concentrates CO2 from ambient air.

RGGI Allowance (RGA) futures fell around 2% last week following the publication of Q3 auction results trader said were largely unremarkable, with activity dropping and prices inching up Monday.

A Canadian industrial hemp company active in verifying carbon removal (CDR) credits announced Monday it has began the process of shutting down its processing operations, and will pursue strategic alternatives after failing to raise enough capital and generate sustainable revenues.

Cattle counting – The world’s largest meat exporter, JBS, has delivered 123,765 ear tags to producers to track cattle in the state of Para, Brazil, according to a statement on Monday. Of these, 65,902 cattle have already been tagged. The initiative is considered an important step in monitoring the livestock supply chain and curbing deforestation in the Amazon. With a cattle herd of 26 million – comparable to Australia’s – Para passed a law in late 2023 requiring ranchers to identify their cattle by the end of 2026. (Reuters)

A California bipartisan, bicameral advisory group is urging lawmakers to consider reforms to the state’s emissions trading system ahead of its legislative deadline tomorrow.

Seagrass solutions - Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis addressed a climate finance reception in the UK Parliament last week, calling for stronger global investment in nature-based solutions. Speaking via a recorded message at the event, co-hosted by Bankers for Net Zero and Laconic Infrastructure Partners, Davis highlighted the Bahamas’ seagrass meadows as critical carbon sinks, and urged greater use of Article 6.2 cooperation, blended finance, and high-integrity carbon markets to protect ecosystems as global assets. Positioning the Bahamas as both vulnerable to climate change and a leader in solutions, Davis emphasised partnerships with the UK and international institutions to mobilise private capital and enhance resilience through the protection of marine ecosystems.

The chosen ones – BioCarbon Standard and Planet2050 made official on Saturday via LinkedIn, the 20 selected members of the Digital MRV Working Group, chosen from over 60 applicants across seven regions. The group will develop a roadmap to integrate digital tools such as remote sensing, AI, and blockchain into BioCarbon’s methodology and registry by 2026. Among the selected members are experts from rating agency Renoster, Kenyan carbon association CAMAK, and data agencies like Open Forest Protocol, IXO, and Ecota. BioCarbon had formalised the group’s establishment in late June, as part of efforts to strengthen its carbon programme for CORSIA eligibility and the ICVCM's CCP labelling.

Mercedes is the only carmaker in the EU not on track to meet the bloc's 2025-27 CO2 targets, according to NGO analysis published Monday, as over 150 European business leaders urged the bloc to stick by its 2035 zero-emission target for cars.

The prospect of linking the EU and British emissions trading systems (ETSs) creates further risks and uncertainty for the UK shipping industry, at a time when it is already straddling different rules and plans between the two sides and internationally, according to the UK Chamber of Shipping.

Breezy battle - A federal judge in Massachusetts on Thursday appeared sceptical that the court could halt US President Donald Trump’s directive barring federal permits for new onshore and offshore wind projects, E&E News reported. Judge William Young questioned the legal grounds for issuing such an order during a hearing in a case brought by Democratic-led states challenging the administration’s January 'Wind Directive', which instructed agencies to suspend permitting while leasing practices are reviewed.

EU carbon allowance prices broke above their mid-year peak to reach a seven-month high as firming gas helped the carbon market maintain its steady rally, while UK Allowances rose again to set a new 26-month high as traders kept the spread to EUAs steady.

A carbon removal (CDR) certifier is seeking feedback for its enhanced rock weathering (ERW) methodology update, it announced Monday, which the standard says aligns with the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs).

Sustainable practices drive cost efficiencies in supply chains and competitive advantage, according to almost three-quarters of companies surveyed by a consultancy looking at the evolution of corporate value chains.

Somalia has committed to cutting its annual greenhouse gas emissions by 34% in 2035 compared to a business as usual baseline, provided it receives the right level of financing, according to the impoverished country's new Paris Agreement pledge.

An expert panel working on methodological elements of the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) has proposed a 0.5-2.5% range over a 100-year period to define a "negligible" risk of reversal, in a bid to define a threshold for what is considered acceptable levels of permanence under new UNFCCC carbon crediting rules.

Signs of life flickered in the CORSIA carbon futures market in the first week of September, while prices ticked higher in the voluntary emissions avoidance and reduction sectors although retirement of credits remained low.

Getting started – Delorean Corp., one of three companies in Australia operating a biomethane project registered to generate ACCUs, has signed an agreement with Origin Energy to sell 200 TJ of biomethane from its SA1 facility per year to 2036, with the buyer securing an option to extend the deal by two more years. According to a statement from Origin, the renewable gas offtake arrangement will include Renewable Gas Guarantee of Origin (RGGOs) that it can use towards its Scope 1 emissions targets.

Copenhagen is keen to begin negotiations on linking the EU and UK emissions trading systems (ETSs) as quickly as possible, although how soon the two sides can reach an agreement depends on political will, an official from the Danish presidency of the Council of EU member states said on Monday.

And miles to go - China’s ETS is unlikely to cover aviation in the near term, despite signals that broader sectoral expansion is a government priority, according to David Ma, an independent consultant on energy transition and climate change. A recent policy directive confirmed that by 2027 the ETS will cover all major emitting sectors in the industrial domain, sidelining transportation, including aviation for now, given its rising emissions, complex MRV requirements, and relatively small share of national GHG output, Ma wrote. While regional pilots in Guangdong, Shanghai, and Beijing are experimenting with inclusion of aviation, structural and regulatory barriers exist at the national level. He argued that robust MRV systems, stable baselines, and stronger policy alignment will be required before the sector can join the ETS. In the meantime, the voluntary offset market - especially CCER - can serve as a transitional mechanism, enabling airlines to manage emissions and meet international obligations.

Africa’s carbon bet - Africa’s push to align climate finance with growth is gaining traction through systemic reforms, with carbon markets emerging as a key pillar, according to a Kenyan government report published Monday. The report said that the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative (ACMI) has shifted the continent from fragmented participation to a coordinated market, building regional alliances across West, East, and Southern Africa to expand Africa’s market share. However, the continent still attracts only 2.5% of global climate finance, highlighting the urgency of reforms that should blend debt restructuring, concessional flows, and private capital with carbon market development. The report noted that if properly designed, carbon markets can transform Africa’s mitigation potential into tangible investment, jobs, and resilience. The report coincides with the opening of the second edition of the Africa Climate Summit in Ethiopia on Monday, after the inaugural summit was hosted by Kenya in 2023.

A London-headquartered multinational retailer has committed to ensuring that all of its British products come from farms using regenerative practices by the end of this decade.

Italy, Czechia, Greece, and Sweden want to make fertilisers, basic organic chemicals, and other industrial sectors eligible for indirect cost compensation under the revised state aid guidelines for the EU's Emission Trading System (ETS).

The EU should extend carbon pricing to agriculture to plug major climate policy gaps, a new paper suggested on Monday, warning that the bloc's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) currently finances nearly twice the emissions it is designed to abate.

Output boost - Eight members of OPEC+ agreed on Sunday to raise production from October by 137,000 bpd as leader Saudi Arabia pushes to regain market share - marking a slower pace of increases compared with previous months. This is due to an expected weakening of global oil demand and means the cartel has begun to unwind a second tranche of cuts of about 1.65 mln bpd by eight members more than a year ahead of schedule. This year's output increases come as Saudi Arabia sought to punish other members for overproducing, and as the UAE has build new capacity and pushed for higher targets. Output increases have led to a fall in oil prices of around 15% so far this year, though prices have not collapsed, trading at around $65 a barrel, supported by Western sanctions on Russia and Iran. This has emboldened OPEC+ to continue boosting output. (Reuters)

Global carbon emissions rise with economic growth but begin to fall once countries reach higher development levels, with policies like carbon taxes and emissions trading key to speeding up this shift, a study published Monday has found.

The third sale for Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs) is currently open for airlines who want to secure supply for Phase 1 (2024-26) of the CORSIA international aviation offsetting scheme, with a pool of 1 million credits available for bidders, the organisers confirmed to Carbon Pulse.

Major European automakers like Volkswagen and Renault have called for adding the electricity costs of battery manufacturing to the list of sectors eligible for indirect compensation under the revised state aid guidelines for the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).

Colombian President Gustavo Petro last week presented a finance bill that would increase the national carbon tax, curb offsetting, and decrease the share of proceeds for climate measures – while elsewhere, public policy focused on climate finance mobilisation over carbon pricing.

The Danish EU Council presidency has pledged to advance negotiations on the Green Claims directive during its six-month term, after the file became embroiled in a political row between EU institutions over the summer.

An association representing air transport operators has ramped up its carbon credit demand outlook for the Phase 1 (2024-26) of the CORSIA international aviation emissions offsetting scheme, with the updated forecast placing expected requirements at between 146 mln and 236 mln over the three-year period.

Clean new deal - Clean hydrogen and graphite junior Hazer said Monday it has signed an offtake agreement with a buyer for the latter product. The Australian Securities Exchange-listed company plans to create hydrogen via splitting methane and sequestering the carbon in graphite created using iron ore as feedstock. The non-binding MoU was signed with First Graphene in Perth and uses graphite as a feedstock for its high purity graphene. The two will explore the feasibility of using Hazer’s product.

Biochar partnership - Japanese project developer Green Carbon has entered into a strategic partnership with two companies to launch a large-scale biochar-based carbon removal project in India, it announced Monday. Through collaboration with Varhad Capital and Carbonfuture, around 120,300 carbon removal credits will be generated, Green Carbon said. Varhad Capital will build two industrial-scale biochar production facilities in Maharashtra, which will convert more than 6,000 tonnes of agricultural residues into biochar per year.    

First of its kind - An emissions reduction project proposed by waste management company Toa Xible has become the first registered initiative under Japan's J-Credit scheme that features the switch from fossil fuel to waste-derived fuels (EN-S-019), according to a company statement. The programme-based project is supported by voluntary exchange operator Carbon EX, which said the project sets a new model for decarbonisation in the industrial waste treatment and renewable fuel sectors. No further project details were given by the two companies.    

2040 politics - Germany's environment minister, Carsten Schneider, has warned against delaying a decision on a 2040 EU climate target. His comments to the Spiegel on Sunday followed media reports that France and Germany both support postponing a decision on the 2040 target from a meeting of environment ministers on Sept. 18 to a European leaders'  summit on Oct. 23-24. Schneider is from the centre-left SPD, which has also warned against a "reorientation" of energy policy that slows down the energy transition. Germany's coalition partners the centre-right CDU and SPD - and its economy and environment ministries - have traditionally not seen eye to eye on climate and energy policy. (Spiegel)

Helsinki has officially endorsed the European Commission’s proposal for a 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, while urging greater attention to technical and biogenic carbon sinks in the process.

Most coal-fired power plants in South Korea will no longer be economically viable after 2035 if only current energy policies are maintained and no additional measures are taken, according to a report released Monday.

Appointing a COP31 co-president from Pacific countries and securing new green iron deals with China are some of the ideas that should be on Australia’s agenda if it successfully secures its bid to host COP31, according to a report released this weekend.

Australian mining companies in the Pilbara region of Western Australia risk slowing down their decarbonisation progress if they don't adopt common-user infrastructure approaches to renewable energy to power emissions reduction technology, a government agency report warned Monday.

Building regional hubs for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production could help overcome challenges stymieing the sector’s growth, a conference heard on Monday.

Sail away - Japanese shipping major MOL has obtained approval in principle (AiP) from classification society Lloyd's Register for two new design proposals of a membrane-type LNG carrier equipped with four units of Wind Challenger, a hard sail wind-assisted propulsion system, it announced Monday. Wind Challenger - capable of automatic extension, retraction, and rotation - can help reduce fuel consumption and GHG emissions by harnessing wind power while maintaining safe navigation, MOL said. As part of its net zero strategy, the company aims to install the system on 25 vessels by 2030 and 80 by 2035.  

A coalition of European health and medical professionals has called on Brussels to resist pressure to weaken or delay the bloc’s 2035 phaseout of internal combustion engines, warning that air pollution from fossil-fuelled transport is driving “hundreds of thousands” of premature deaths each year.

Landmark legislation - The Western Australian state government has announced legislation to unlock strategic precincts, and fast-rack approvals for clean energy projects. This will help WA retire its fleet of coal-fired power stations faster than any other state, the statement said. The bill will allow the premier to declare state development areas and priority projects, supported by a nominated coordinator general, who will be granted statutory powers to coordinate across agencies.

The South Korean government has decided to consolidate the country's energy and environment policy under a single ministry as part of its recent restructuring.

New Zealand should take stronger action to meet its 2030 and 2035 international climate targets, including its politically vexing offshore mitigation issue, as it could boost the country's diplomatic and economic standing and competitive advantages, a conference heard Monday.

Biofuels boost – New Zealand Bioforestry has entered into a heads of agreement with North American private equity firm Pegasus Capital to explore ways to advance biochemicals, bioplastics, biofuels, and biomaterials, as scalable renewable alternatives, the company announced. The two entities will collaborate on the delivery of environmental, economic, and social benefits across APAC, NZ Bioforestry said in the statement, adding that its representatives would travel to New York to work with Pegasus Capital on finalising development plans.

The creation of a park in New South Wales to protect iconic endangered koalas will be contingent on an Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) method being successfully developed, the state government announced.