Large-scale focus - Banks selected under the second round of Brazil's Eco Invest programme will focus on large-scale producers due to the high cost of maintaining the credit line, which requires controls to prove the application of the funds, reported Globo Rural.The strategy of focusing on large producers should help is meant to help in verifying the application of the line by facilitating monitoring, and to yield results in pasture conversion more quickly. Eco Invest's second round saw some R$16.5 bln ($3.1 bln) in catalytic capital distributed to 10 banks, with the institutions expected to raise a further R$13.7 bln from the private sector and funds going towards to restoration of 1.4 mln ha of degraded land.

Legal action – Brazil’s Federal Prosecutors’ Office (MPF) has filed a public civil action against three companies and the Union of Indigenous Peoples of the Javari Valley (Univaja) in Amazonas state over a contract related to carbon and biodiversity credits. According to a prosecutor, the terms of the contract signed in Dec. 2022 represent a “very serious risk of contact and decimation” of Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation in the region. The companies involved are Brazil’s Comtxae Servicos Educacionais, Spain’s Biotapass, and Argentina’s Cooperativa de Trabajo Integral Biota. A technical team from the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples’ Foundation (Funai) identified a series of alleged irregularities and illegalities in the Javari Valley partnership, including unauthorised entry into the territory. (Folha de S. Paulo)

A new team at the world’s largest conservation organisation will endeavour to accelerate nature finance by developing a pipeline of investment opportunities, corporate investors heard at a Climate Week NYC event.

The State of Sao Paulo has launched a programme that will allow the private sector to engage in forest restoration and conservation initiatives in exchange for carbon and biodiversity credits.

An international sciences non-profit will spend $45 million funding four teams of researchers to advance climate and carbon modelling, including at least one from a major US university.

Okayama forest deal - Tokyo-based carbon solutions provider ByWill, utility firm Tsuyama Gas, and the local government of Kagamino Town last week announced they had signed an eight-year agreement to trade forest-derived J-Credits, aimed at cutting CO2 and boosting sustainable forest management in Okayama Prefecture. Tsuyama Gas will purchase credits generated by Kagamino Town’s forests, with ByWill supporting the creation and brokerage of credits. The partners will also explore further forestry-related initiatives. No financial details were disclosed.

Bamboo boost - Singapore-based InfraBlocks Technologies announced last week the launch of a digital platform to monitor carbon credits from engineered bamboo projects. Developed with the Asian Development Bank, Kumi Analytics, BanQu, and bamboo innovator Rizome, the project uses satellite imagery, blockchain, and digital MRV to improve transparency and cut costs. Rizome’s plantations in the Philippines will serve as the pilot location, marking the region’s first bamboo project to issue digital carbon credits.

REDD+ in the DRC - Munich-based climate solutions firm Greenipath said on social media on Sunday that it has teamed up with asset manager Black River and trading company Voltura Commodities to launch one of Africa’s biggest carbon-financed conservation projects, backed by an undisclosed global insurance group. The REDD+ initiative covers over 740,000 ha of tropical forests and peatlands in the Ngiri-Tumba-Mai-Ndombe region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa’s largest freshwater wetland ecosystem.

A new review highlights a striking research gap in the forecasting of voluntary forest carbon credit prices, which is linked to bad data.

Prices mostly rose last week to maintain the steady recovery of the voluntary carbon market since last December amid a transition to integrity.

Emissions trading lobby group IETA has published new guidelines to scale voluntary carbon markets, calling for pragmatic collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders to establish clear rules that align national priorities with corporate drivers for credit use.

Germany’s environment ministry proposed adding actions to support the country’s forests, soils, and peatlands to its climate plan on Monday.

Climate finance – Germany delivered on its pledge to provide at least €6 bln in public funds for international climate finance last year, its environment ministry announced on Monday. The country put up €11.8 bln for climate mitigation and adaptation globally in 2024, of which €6.1 bln came from its budget, the ministry said in a press release. A sub-target target of €1.5 bln public funds for climate-relevant biodiversity financing – to protect forests, moors, and oceans among others – was almost achieved. It was also the first time that more than €1 bln of private funds were mobilised, the ministry added. "Germany has led the way [...] with a new record amount," said federal development minister, Reem Alabali Radovan, of the overall achievement. "This is an important prerequisite for successful negotiations at COP30 in Belem," added environment minister Carsten Schneider. "Successful climate protection requires trust that countries will keep their promises." (German environment ministry)

Teaming up - The Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) plans to collaborate with Sylvera and the IUCN UK Peatland Programme to integrate satellite and lidar technology into the Woodland Carbon and Peatland Codes. The project will develop a methodology which combines remote sensing and traditional field methods to monitor woodland and peatland carbon projects. This will help to reduce the cost and time it takes to complete monitoring, according to an update Monday. The WCC is aiming to complete the project by the end of 2026 and has been developed through the CivTech Challenge programme.

New partner - Tokyo-based developer Green Carbon has partnered with Toho Gas to launch a demonstration project in the Philippines' Bohol Province and utilise the bilateral Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). The project aims to cut emissions through alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice fields. It is expected to reduce CO2e emissions by 430,000 tonnes by expanding the coverage to more than 10,000 hectares over the next 10 years, Green Carbon said.  

South Korea's agriculture ministry has teamed up with the private sector to encourage the creation of carbon credits in the country.