New nuclear in the Garden – New Jersey state lawmakers have introduced a bill to establish a programme that could lead to the construction of a new nuclear power plant in the Garden State. Senate Environment and Energy Committee Chair Bob Smith (D) introduced the New Jersey Energy Security and Affordability Act last week, which would create an incentive programme to add 1.2 gigawatts of nuclear power, according to a draft text obtained by E&E News. The full text of the bill has not yet been published. The bill would also instruct the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to establish distributed energy storage and demand optimisation programmes, according to the legislature’s website.

Turquoise in Texas – ExxonMobil is teaming up with German chemical producer BASF to advance a methane pyrolysis technology at the oil and gas major’s facility in Baytown, Texas. The technology is used to produce low-carbon hydrogen using a methane feedstock. Known as “turquoise hydrogen”, methane pyrolysis can be used where traditional CCS solutions are less viable, the companies said. They plan to construct a demonstration plant in Baytown capable of producing up to 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen annually, along with 6,000 t of solid carbon – a co-product generated via the pyrolysis process.

Renewable plus natural gas – Natural gas proponents want to see Virginia's Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D) embrace natural gas to deliver on her campaign promises to lower energy costs, according to E&E News. The outlet reported Bruce McKay, chair of the Natural Gas Coalition of Virginia, as saying Spanberger believes in all forms of energy, including gas. He said natural gas has a place beside renewable energy.

EPA headcount cut – About 2,620 US EPA employees – roughly one fifth of the agency’s workforce – have accepted President Donald Trump’s deferred resignation offer that was used to reduce the federal government’s payroll. According to E&E News, these employees have already left the agency or will leave by the end of 2025 as part of the resignation programme. All federal employees were offered the opportunity to opt into the deferred resignation programme during Trump's first days in office.

A global coalition of more than 250 governments and international institutions launched a roadmap for implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on Monday at COP30, complete with millions in funding to support the group from two countries.

Mexico’s NDC – Mexico released its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0 Monday, affirming the climate targets already previewed by Environmental Secretary Alicia Barcena. The nation has set an unconditional goal to cut economy-wide emissions by 2035 to between 364-404 MtCO2e, and a conditional goal of 332-363 MtCO2e. It is also the first time Mexico has expressed its target in absolute terms rather than a percentage, a measure aimed at improving transparency, the nation says. Mexico has also added a security component to its NDC 3.0 in order to strengthen its capacity for responding to human security issues linked to climate change. This component will form the basis of the development of Mexico’s first National Adaptation Policy, which is slated to be published in 2026. (UNFCCC NDC Registry)

US legislators hoping to attend COP30  in Belem did not receive support from the State Department, having instead to make alternative plans for credentials to the Blue Zone through participating non-profits, international organisations, and through overflow from the Ukraine delegation.

COP30 talks resumed on Monday with cautious optimism, based on a Brazilian proposal that tended to favour the developing world’s position on contentious issues such as climate finance and trade. 

The EU insisted its carbon border fee is not a "unilateral" trade measure on Monday, addressing criticisms from countries such as China that have again brought CBAM to the forefront of multilateral discussions inside the negotiating rooms of COP30.

Global methane emissions are continuing to rise and remain inconsistent with international temperature goals despite a rapid increase in national pledges, according to a new UN report released on Monday.

The Brazilian COP30 presidency shifted into "task force mode" on Monday, extending negotiating hours to make headway on a proposed Belem Package that it hopes to gavel through by Wednesday.

New technology developed in Texas by chemical engineers could cut carbon capture technology costs for hard-to-abate industries by half, inventors say.

A new, longer document on Article 6 non-market approaches (NMAs) published Sunday still finds the whole text in brackets, as other COP30 debates play out symbolically in the typically uncontroversial text, according to observers.

A Brazil-based agricultural technology company has signed an exclusive agreement with a UK-based project developer to advance enhanced rock weathering (ERW) projects in the South American country, aiming to generate carbon removal (CDR) credits, they announced Monday.

The Amazonian state of Para submitted new documents to ART TREES, taking a further step towards its planned issuance of the first 38 million carbon credits under its jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme.

More than 35 governments and philanthropies pledged on Monday to support Indigenous, local, and Afro-descendant communities in reversing forest and biodiversity loss and land degradation through a $1.8 billion fund over the next five years.

Using hemp as a biochar feedstock could remove 10 billion tonnes of CO2 per year by 2035 at low costs without requiring extensive land use or major investments, according to a new study.

The latest text on closing the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), being negotiated at COP30, still lacks a sum of funds to transfer from the Kyoto Protocol-era system, in order to ease an urgent finance shortage in Article 6 markets.

A total of 11 governments now endorse recently released shared principles that are designed to help scale responsible use of carbon credits to meet global climate goals.

Scientists are sending up flares that carbon removals (CDR) do not deliver equal-and-opposite climate effects when matched tonne-for-tonne with CO2 emissions, highlighting how carbon cycle asymmetry complicates net zero accounting in a recent webinar on the climate impacts of CDR.

Over 383 million tonnes of CO2 have been abated by carbon capture and storage (CCS) since 1996, claimed a report published Monday.

Integrity continued to drive prices last week, after the pre-COP30 tide that had lifted the market ebbed away, and the forestry sector was left battling again to be included in Article 6.4.

Companies and financial institutions are unwittingly exposed to at least $279 billion of financial risk due to the continued destruction of the world’s forests, according to a report published by an environmental disclosure non-profit on Monday.

A group of countries, civil society representatives, and the private sector launched a new coalition to support jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programmes gain scale at COP30 on Monday.

G20 countries are failing by a wide margin to deliver the emissions cuts needed to keep the 1.5C target within reach, a report published Monday has warned, calling for an immediate, binding global response plan from the world's richest nations.

RGGI retreat - Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s (D) agreement to withdraw the state from RGGI as part of a deal to secure Republican support for a $50 bln budget package has reopened Democratic divisions over climate strategy, undermining recent signs of unity after moderates in NJ and VA won by tying clean energy to affordability, E&E News reported. Shapiro’s decision to trade the long-pursued cap-and-trade entry for roughly $2 bln in additional spending has sparked concerns that Democrats may continue sidelining climate policy in both campaigns and governance, a development that could influence national messaging as the governor is increasingly viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender.

Surplus shift - A new proposed Quebec government bill seeking to allow the C$1.8 bln ($1.3 bln) surplus in the province’s Green Fund to be diverted to non-climate uses, including debt repayment and potential fuel-tax relief, has raised doubts about the government’s climate commitment. Ministers said the entire surplus will go to reducing provincial debt, while any future excess could support road infrastructure before public transit. Critics argued the move undermines emissions-reduction efforts and comes as Quebec remains off track to meet its targets. (CBC News)

Hold my carbon - Alberta's United Conservative Party (UCP) is set to debate two controversial energy resolutions that challenge the province and Canada's core climate goals, the National Observer reported. A UCP riding association is calling on the provincial government to reverse all net zero policies, giving rationale that denies climate change. Another motion seeks opposition to federal industrial carbon emissions caps, including launching a constitutional challenge. An advocate warned the UCP's stance risks economic and ecological vulnerability

Going backwards - Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) will debate a series of policy resolutions at its convention that seek to roll back, weaken, or openly oppose climate policies, prompting sharp criticism from environmental advocates. One riding association wants the provincial government to reverse all laws and agreements related to net zero, advancing climate-denialist arguments that downplay the role of GHG emissions. Another proposal urges the province to resist any federal regulation of industrial carbon pollution, potentially through constitutional challenges and the Alberta Sovereignty Act, even as it suggests strengthening Alberta’s own pricing scheme to offer an alternative. Critics argue that the party’s approach undermines credible climate action, particularly given Alberta’s history of limited progress without federal alignment. Further resolutions call for reviving “clean coal”, despite Alberta having fully phased out coal generation ahead of schedule. Environmental Defence Canada warned that the UCP’s stance reflects an attachment to past resource development that fails to recognise both the energy transition and the escalating impacts of climate change, leaving the province economically and environmentally exposed. (National Observer)

A coalition of companies involved in palm oil, cocoa, rubber, coffee, and wood urged EU policymakers to resist calls to delay the bloc’s anti-deforestation law and instead introduce it with a grace period at the end of the year.

An initiative that seeks to permanently conserve land at scale across four countries by raising $375 million has been announced, backed by organisations including the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

A string of new countries have joined the Premium Flyers Solidarity Coalition, which is linked to an initiative to implement new global levies on the rich and high-emitting sectors, in a bid to boost "solidarity" for those most affected by climate change.

Oil and gas majors are expected to maintain a disciplined investment approach over the next decade, with transition bets such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) remaining selective. In contrast, utilities face a more robust investment climate, fuelled by surging electrification and data centre demand, according to a new report.

Ministers will begin COP30 negotiations on Monday working off a Brazilian summary that lays out broad boundaries for an agreement on the four biggest issues – but with little clarity on what an agreement would look like, and old tensions likely to resurface.

Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have released a 'playbook' aimed at mobilising large-scale private investment into ecosystem protection, setting out a model to treat natural systems as infrastructure assets while using biodiversity credits.

Rice methane reduction in Argentina – US carbon solutions provider AgriCapture has partnered with Latin America-based sustainability firm Upchar to expand its rice methane reduction project to Argentina, joining a network of regional partners supporting sustainable rice production across Latin America. The project, which already includes Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, implements Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), reducing methane emissions by up to 70% and conserving 300,000 gallons of water per carbon credit generated. Through this partnership, farmers gain access to global carbon markets and financial incentives for adopting regenerative practices, AgriCapture said in a press release.

Soil organic carbon verification – Bureau Veritas has independently reviewed Canadian agtech ChrysaLabs’ approach to soil organic carbon (SOC) measurement, confirming its compliance with VM0042 v2.1 for Improved Agricultural Land Management, including technology-based SOC methods. This marks the first third-party validation of the scientific accuracy and repeatability of proximal sensing soil carbon measurement in the field, ChrysaLabs said on its website. As a result, project developers can confidently incorporate ChrysaLabs’ data into VM0042-aligned carbon projects.

Things are hotting up at the summit as ministers now arrive to push forward on key talks, which come after a rumoured 40,000+ people took to the streets on Saturday to march for climate justice.

A new Article 6 text concerning the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) would see countries back decisions on permanence, baselines, and additionality made by technical experts earlier this year.