Global efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions have lost momentum, with wide gaps persisting between countries and across sectors, and 2030 pledges still far from meeting the Paris Agreement goals, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said in a report released Thursday. 

Growing domestic backlash in the US against carbon capture and geoengineering threatens to sideline the country amid the global race to develop climate technologies, according to a report published on Monday.

Colombia's former environment minister says she will use the next presidential term to push forward a previously leaked draft decree that aims to give the government rights over forestry emissions reductions and make it a "big player" in the carbon market. 

Central and Eastern European countries should avoid over-committing to liquified natural gas (LNG) purchases, as it is likely gas demand will continue to fall and the deals may prove to be poor value for money, according to new analysis. 

Bill Gates has ignited debate across the climate science community after publishing a memo arguing that climate change, while serious, “will not lead to humanity’s demise” and that global climate funding should refocus on health and poverty rather than near-term emissions goals

Emissions trading schemes (ETS) often limit the role of carbon removals to 10% or less of compliance obligations, a survey reported Wednesday. 

A number of countries are contributing to Brazil’s Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), including Norway with $3 billion and Indonesia with $1 bln, they announced in Belem on Thursday.

World leaders agreed Thursday to commit to collectively recognising 160 million hectares of land by 2030 in tropical forest countries as belonging to Indigenous Peoples and local communities. 

€700 mln for Spanish clean tech – The European Commission on Thursday approved a €700 million Spanish state aid scheme to boost clean technology manufacturing. The direct grants, available until the end of 2028, aim to expand capacity for producing net-zero technologies such as batteries, solar panels and wind turbines. The Commission judged the measure necessary and proportionate to speed the shift to a net-zero economy. The Spanish aid was cleared under the EU’s ‘Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework’ (CISAF), unveiled in June.

Geoengineering lobby – The Washington DC lobbying giant Holland & Knight failed to publicly disclose that it had been hired by an American-Israeli geoengineering startup to help it obtain US government contracts, E&E News reported. A spokesperson for the firm told E&E that Stardust Solutions hired the firm in early 2025, but the firm didn’t disclose the contract “due to a clerical error”, a spokesperson said. The Lobbying Disclosure Act requires lobbying organisations to file a quarterly activity report if their services for an organisation yield income that meets a minimum threshold. Stardust Solutions also raised $60 mln last month to test its controversial technology that sprays reflective particles into the atmosphere.

Pre-rating for carbon projects – A carbon credit fund is pre-screening the viability of projects by incorporating a rating agencies' methodologies into its analysis. Brazilian investment manager Bridge Asset Management has teamed up with rating agency BeZero Carbon to discover the indicative carbon scores across its portfolio of projects. Bridge, which is launching Brazil Climate, Carbon & Community Fund, will submit projects through BeZero’s Pre-rating Scorecard to assess risks such as additionality, carbon accounting and permanence, the two companies announced. Bridge directs its analysis toward Brazilian projects, diversified across Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and technology-based initiatives.

Kenya Article 6.4 submission – Kenya has formally submitted its host party participation requirements for Article 6.4 projects under the Paris Agreement, with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) confirming its role as the Designated National Authority overseeing project approvals. The framework prioritises renewable energy, electric mobility, agroforestry, waste-to-energy, and industrial efficiency among eligible sectors, and aligns with Kenya’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 32% by 2030, the document said. It also embeds social and environmental safeguards, including benefit-sharing and free, prior and informed consent for community-based activities. Kenya published its new 2035 NDC earlier this year, setting a goal to cut GHG emissions by 35% or 75.25 MtCO2e, by 2035, compared to a business-as-usual scenario.

EU carbon allowances posted a second sizeable loss in a row on Thursday with the drop coming to a halt at a key technical support, amid what many sources called a correction after the market's recent run-up to 10-month highs and as the December options contract began to exert an influence on the market, while energy markets also weakened amid forecasts for higher wind output.

COP30 should help to both accelerate the energy transition and protect nature in order to effectively tackle global warming, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said at the opening of the two-day Leaders' Summit on Thursday.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called on the international leaders to make COP30 in Belem a “turning point” on implementation for achieving the global community's emission goal.

Austria suggested - and a majority of intervening countries supported - a stop-the-clock mechanism for the EU’s much-debated anti-deforestation regulation during a meeting of the bloc’s Environment Council this week.

Per mile EV charges - UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to unveil plans for per mile road charges for drivers of electric cars in the country's upcoming Budget on Nov. 26. This would be to offset a forecasted sharp decline in fuel taxes, accorded to people familiar reported by the FT. The plans may involve introducing EV road charges from 2028 following a public consultation, and could raise about £1.8 bln annually by the early 2030s for the Treasury. One proposal under consideration would see EV drivers face charges of 3p per mile on top of other road taxes. The average EV driver would pay an extra £250/year, compared to the average owner of a petrol or diesel car who currently pays about £600/yr in fuel duty. Drivers would face yearly payments based on estimates of how many miles they expect to drive. The move will likely be controversial with many motorists as well as politicians as Reeves strives to plug the fiscal hole estimated at £20-30 bln by the end of parliament.

Brazil's Federal Police (PF) has indicted several dozen individuals following a probe launched in June 2024 against an allegedly criminal carbon offsetting operation on illegally authorised land, according to local media reports.

Silver lining - ArcelorMittal, the world's second-largest steelmaker, reported better-than-expected 3Q profit on Thursday helped by strong performance in Europe, and also gave a positive outlook for 2026. The Luxembourg-based company recorded a $1.51 bln core profit in the quarter, 3% above the $1.46 bln seen in company-provided consensus, whilst earnings in Europe rose 27% compared to the same period last year. Still, overall demand remained weak in the quarter and there were no restocking signals as customers maintain a "wait and see" approach, the company said. Western steelmakers have long pointed to global overcapacity and pressure from cheaper imported steel from Asia as dampening their business. (Reuters)  

Peru has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and anticipates generating at least 9 million tonnes' worth of credits under Article 6, according to its latest contribution to the Paris Agreement.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has proposed significant changes to how companies may use carbon removals and Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM) as part of their climate goals, in a new, revised draft of the Corporate Net-Zero Standard (Version 2), now open for consultation.

Guinea aims to nearly halve its emissions by 2035, as long as it receives international support, and to host Article 6 projects that can help achieve its goal, according to the country's new Paris Agreement commitment. 

The Italian government has yet to deliver on its two-year-old pledge to provide €100 million to a UN fund compensating developing countries for losses and damages caused by climate change, a delay that NGOs say risks undermining the country’s international credibility.

A US-based carbon removal technology developer has secured up to $17 million in project financing from energy and industrial partners to build its first large-scale hybrid direct air capture (HDAC) facility, it announced Thursday.

More forestry projects under the UN-backed REDD framework have issued credits under a now deactivated methodology and may need to reimburse credits because of an earlier over-estimation of how much carbon they saved, standard body Verra said.

European steelmakers using the low-carbon electric arc furnace (EAF) production route have issued a joint statement rejecting the proposed sliding-scale system for labelling green steel at EU level – a model promoted by the German government and developed by its own industry.

October saw voluntary carbon credit issuances fall by around 40% compared to September's bumper month, with retirements rising by nearly 1.4 million over the same period, as data from an analytics firm shows that the oil majors have returned as a major demand source in the VCM. 

Deadly plastic pollution - Pollution from Ineos's Antwerp plastic plant could cause more deaths than permanent jobs it will create, lawyers will argue in a court challenge issued on Thursday. Research submitted to the court suggests air pollution from the €4 bln petrochemical plant would cause 410 deaths once operational, compared with the 300 permanent jobs Ineos claims it will create. Lawyers, community members, and financial experts are taking court action in Belgium's council for permit disputes to halt the facility that would transform ethane from fracked US shale gas into ethylene - the raw material for plastic. Client Earth is leading the case and said carbon emissions of the project would vastly exceed Ineos's own estimates, which failed to calculate full lifecycle emissions. Data Desk estimates full supply chain emissions of the plant could reach 3.8 MtCO2e annually - around five times Ineos's estimate. (the Guardian)

If implemented as currently designed, the delayed Net-Zero Framework (NZF) under the International Maritime Organization (IMO) would reduce shipping emissions by just 8–10% by 2030, far below the 45% cut needed to align the sector with the Paris Agreement, a report published Thursday said.

Methane capture methodology - Gold Standard has published a methodology for the in-situ capture and conversion of cattle enteric methane, developed by Trees Consulting and Zelp. The methodology is to set out the requirements for capturing enteric methane produced by cattle and rendering those emissions neutral in situ through conversion into gasses with lower global warming potential such as CO2. More details here.

The EU cut its emissions by 2.5% last year and remains on track to hit its 55% goal by 2030, although reductions outside of the EU ETS are lagging, according to a progress report published on Thursday. 

Uzbekistan has unveiled its new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, pledging to halve the intensity of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, compared to 2010 levels, with plans to engage in Article 6.

An international survey has found that while most institutional investors now recognise climate and environmental risks as financially relevant, persistent gaps in ambition, target-setting, and transparency could undermine global progress.

Google has signed its largest carbon removal deal to date, agreeing to buy 200,000 tonnes of forest carbon credits from Brazilian startup Mombak, the companies said Thursday.

Institutional investors face a growing challenge of how to reconcile their long-term climate commitments with exposure to the rapidly expanding asset class of energy-intensive data centres powering the AI revolution, said analysts in a new study.

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) will use the COP30 summit next week to showcase a new Indigenous-led strategy aimed at reshaping how carbon projects engage with local communities, sources told Carbon Pulse.

From complicated and pricey travel logistics, to hostile and unwieldy geopolitics, to a bleak reality that emissions just keep rising – Brazil's COP30 summit is already promising to be a distinctly challenging summit. 

Delayed level playing field - This week's decision to delay EU ETS2 for transport and buildings by one year to 2028 has been critiqued by German business associations. Due to the country's existing national carbon price for fuels in these sectors, the delay means an extra year of disadvantages for smaller industrial companies, said industry association BDI. It calls on the German government to level the playing field for German businesses and those in the EU in the interim. The decision to delay the ETS2 start date to 2028 is still subject to negotiations with the European Parliament, with strong concern from Eastern European countries in particular about the socio-economic impact. Environment minister Schneider said Germany's national carbon price would remain in place in 2027, with the government still to decide whether it would stay fixed or become tradable. (Clean Energy Wire)

More green for more grass - Two corporates are supporting and investing in grassland restoration projects. Accounting firm Deloitte has purchased 18,000 carbon removal credits from Boomitra’s Northern Mexico Grassland Restoration Project, (VCS 2887), which supports 158 ranchers across the biodiverse yet severely degraded Chihuahuan and Sonoran deserts. The project is verified under Verra’s latest soil carbon methodology VM0042 and Deloitte also conducted an independent assessment and on-the-ground diligence of the project, helping validate its climate and community impact. Meanwhile, mining giant Rio Tinto is supporting Boomitra’s Argentina grassland carbon project (VCS 3291) through a combination of investment in conservation research and a committed offtake of carbon credits. The investment was agreed in 2024, and the offtake agreement was finalised in May 2025. The project currently covers over 30,000 hectares of endangered grasslands and has removed an estimated 100,000 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. Rio Tinto’s investment will help to expand the project expand to 200,000 hectares over the next two years and exceed 500,000 tonnes of annual CO2 removal.  Commercial terms for the two transactions were not released.

Taiwan has pledged to cut its emissions by 36-40% by 2035, compared to 2005 levels, in its newest contribution to the Paris Agreement goals. 

UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael Bloomberg has announced a new $100 million investment to accelerate global efforts to cut methane emissions, one of the most potent greenhouse gases and air pollutants.

The European Parliament and the Council of EU member states have reached a political agreement on the CountEmissionsEU proposal, introducing a single EU-wide method for calculating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from passenger and freight transport services across the bloc.

For good - Vietnam’s northern province of Lai Chau has launched a Canada-backed project to generate forest carbon credits, local media reported. The Carbon for Good initiative, implemented by CARE, CIFOR-ICRAF, and the University of British Columbia, will run until Mar. 2028 and cover four provinces. The programme seeks to build technical capacity, assess forest carbon sequestration potential, and prepare market-ready project dossiers ahead of Vietnam’s planned national carbon market.

The volume of applications to submit land in to New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) has crashed in October as the farm-to-forestry conversion bill takes hold.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment in Laos has granted approval for the issuance of up to 3 million carbon credits from an enteric methane reduction project under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement and the UN's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).

South Korea has proposed cutting emissions by at least 50% from 2018 levels as its 2035 nationally determined contribution (NDC), according to proposals unveiled by the government on Thursday.

Waning momentum - Singapore’s environment minister Grace Fu warned that global climate action is losing steam as geopolitical tensions and rising energy and food costs create headwinds for governments ahead of COP30 in Brazil, according to a Reuters report. Speaking to reporters, she said the city-state has halved its delegation to COP30 compared to the last year due to high costs and limited accommodation in Belem. She added that Singapore is pressing ahead with Article 6 cooperation deals, with the country signing 10 carbon credit implementation agreements, most recently with Mongolia.

The Pacific Islands are hoping this year’s UN climate talks can get the world back on track to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5C, following several recent reports finding that the target critical for their survival will be missed.

Tax talks - Malaysia is weighing a carbon tax of RM15 (about $3.60) per tonne of CO2e for heavy-polluting industries, as part of the government’s plan to reduce emissions and meet its climate targets, Bloomberg reported. The outlet said the government has held consultations on tax proposals, which include establishing a new agency to implement climate change initiatives, citing sources familiar with the matter. The impending tax would initially target sectors such as iron, steel, and energy, with legislation expected to be introduced in 2026. According to research published last week, the country could launch the tax at a starting rate of RM10 per tonne, potentially raising RM2 bln a year in new revenue while supporting its climate and fiscal goals.

A confidential report commissioned on behalf of the Western Australian state government has warned of “significant risks” that natural gas could crowd out investments in renewables, casting doubt on the claims that LNG can be used as a bridging fuel in Asia.

Green data - India-based CtrlS Datacenters has signed an MoU with the country's NTPC Green Energy to jointly develop up to 2 GW of renewable energy capacity dedicated to powering CtrlS’s datacentre infrastructure across the South Asian nation. The partnership aligns with both companies’ goals of scaling digital infrastructure while advancing sustainability, they said. Amid India's rapidly increasing demand for cloud computing and data storage, the initiative is designed to ensure that energy-intensive datacentres are underpinned by clean power, contributing to India’s broader net zero ambitions, the companies added.

Market prep - Uzbekistan on Wednesday hosted a policy dialogue that brought together the UNDP, Japan, and local stakeholders to advance the country’s readiness for international carbon markets and a national registry. The government noted that a new national law creating a domestic carbon-trading system, adopted in July 2025, underscores its commitment to low-carbon growth. Participants outlined next steps including the development of ministerial resolutions, a national registry, and criteria for authorising Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs).

Cash to dash for gas – New Zealand’s government has widened the scope for its NZ$200 mln ($113.3 mln) co-investment fund for new gas projects, opening it to initiatives which could boost short or medium-term supply, it announced on Thursday. Recognising the lead time for new developments to deliver gas, the government fund will open to things such as additional drilling in existing fields, facility upgrades, and gas storage. It will call for expressions of interest later this month, it added. The government repealed New Zealand's ban on new oil and gas exploration earlier this year.

One of Australia’s Big Four banks has slashed its lending to oil and gas clients by $700 million over the past two years, and has ceased thermal coal-related lending, it said on Thursday.

Delay – The Philippines' 2035 NDC announcement won't make it in time for COP30, and the timeline for submission has been moved to December, according to Rappler, which cited comments from the country's top climate official. Recalculations about unconditional targets are yet to be done, said Environment Assistant Secretary Noralene Uy, who will lead the country's delegation at the upcoming event in Belem, Brazil.

Seed safekeeping – The Australian government has invested A$5.7 mln ($3.7 mln) in a major upgrade at the National Seed Bank's Canberra facility, it announced Thursday, to safeguard more of the country's native plants. The expansion will support larger seed storage of more than 4,000 species and more research opportunities at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, the government said. Upgrades include a larger seed biology lab, new seed preparation lab, an expanded incubator room, and a bigger seed dry room, among others.

Rocky mountain high - The Colorado State Land Board has acquired the 800-acre Lake Fork Ranch, targeting multiple lines of business including a biodiversity voluntary market project, soil carbon sequestration, and ecosystem services projects. It will be implemented in a phased approach through 2028, targeting annual yields of 2% or greater, with the potential for outsized one-time returns, the state government said in a press release.

Back under the microscope – The Trump administration may move forward with its reconsideration of permits already awarded to an offshore wind project under the Biden administration, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. The decision dealt a major setback to SouthCoast Wind, a project planned off the coast of Massachusetts and jointly developed by EDP Renewables and ENGIE. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is now able to re-evaluate its approval of the permit, which was originally green-lit three days before Trump’s second term began, according to the New York Times.

The second quarter 2025 credit and deficit generation report of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) showed a growing surplus after a brief downturn in Q1.

Carbon credit prices in Alberta's industrial emissions programme have plunged below C$20 per tonne ($14/t), despite a C$95 compliance price, creating a "severe crisis" threatening renewable energy projects with defaults and stalling carbon capture investments.

Canada’s federal government appears to be dangling removal of its emissions and gas cap as an incentive for multi-level government collaboration on strengthening the country’s patchwork of carbon pricing systems, but sector experts aren’t sure that carrot will be quite big enough.  

Voluntary carbon market standard operator Verra is getting closer to being able to label units that are eligible for use in the international aviation sector’s CORSIA programme.

The New Zealand government has launched a consultation on changes to the country’s second Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP), proposing to remove a pledge to price agriculture emissions by 2030.

China is considered capable of overachieving its new climate targets for 2035, despite mixed views on the country's near-term emissions reductions, a recent survey has found.