New wave of cash – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed a $10-mln policy-based grant to Kiribati, to bolster ocean conservation, sustainable growth, and financial inclusion of women, it said in a press release on Tuesday. Reforms include a landmark policy on fisheries and ocean management that will help the Pacific Island nation to conserve and use its marine resources sustainably. Parallel co-financing is being provided by the EU, New Zealand, Australia, and the World Bank, added ADB.

The New Zealand government’s final allowance sale for 2025 failed to attract any bids, meaning all NZUs from this year’s auction volume will now be wiped from the system.

Through the roof – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a policy-based loan worth $650 mln to accelerate the rollout of rooftop solar in India. The cash will support a government initiative to reduce barriers for rooftop solar, the bank said in a press release Tuesday. The programme, Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY), will offer a 60% subsidy for residential users installing a system up to 2 kW, and 40% for any additional capacity above that, up to 3 kW. Policy changes supported will include the development of operational guidelines and quality standards, said the ADB. It added that the support is expected to significantly contribute to India’s goal to install 30 GW of rooftop solar and result in 28.2 MtCO2e fewer emissions each year.

Cash call – The cross-sector Transition Advisory Group has called on New Zealand’s government to provide NZ$359 mln ($206 mln) to support the transition of 100,000 ha of land in Tai Rawhiti, in the east of the North Island, back to permanent bush to avoid future landslips. RNZ reported the region loses 55 mln tonnes of topsoil per year and that, absent intervention, the cost of cumulative storm damages over the next 30 years could exceed NZ$1 bln. In addition to the Crown money, funding is also coming from regional, private, and philanthropic avenues, said Gisborne District Council chief executive Nedine Thatcher Swann, adding that for every $1 spent, $4 of recovery cost is avoided. The group is comprised of forestry owners, Maori landowners, farmers, and representatives from Gisborne District Council and Ministry for Primary Industries.

Countries could reduce reporting burdens and strengthen the transparency and accuracy of land-sector data by aligning national forest assessments with Paris Agreement transparency requirements, suggested a new report.

The Article 6.4 Methodological Expert Panel (MEP) is expected in the first half of next year to respond to resubmitted versions of the first four bottom-up methodologies applying to the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM), according to a member of the UNFCCC Secretariat.

A Canadian climate tech developer would incentivise a modal shift in everyday commuters by monetising reductions in their transportation emissions, producing carbon credits for tech giants who are already tracking their movements.

Policymakers can’t assume demand for clean technology will materialise based on net zero commitments and a want to save the environment, attendees of a Toronto-based climate event heard Tuesday.

The EU’s incoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) did not cause as much uproar at COP30 as in previous years, suggesting that opposition has peaked, EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said on Tuesday.

Two major calls for stakeholder input have been launched by the Supervisory Body for the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.4 crediting mechanism, concerning corresponding adjustments and proposed new crediting approaches, as experts ramp up technical work in a methodology meeting running this week.

Bilateral cooperation through Article 6.2 could lead to a more efficient deployment of global carbon removal technologies, according to a World Bank-backed study published this week.

Thailand’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Climate Change Bill that will introduce carbon taxes, establish a carbon credit trading regime, and create a national body to steer greenhouse gas policy.

Article 6 may now be the only way of truly connecting international carbon markets, according to a veteran analyst, with the EU credit demand signal a make-or-break moment for scaling Paris-era trading.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has teamed up with a carbon market ratings agency to support governments in developing countries.

A US direct air capture (DAC) developer has secured investment from a Japanese financial institution and one of the country’s major engineering firms, according to an announcement made on Tuesday.

Private assets will be more exposed to climate risks in 2026, but next year’s reporting landscape will likely be haphazard, with some regulators ramping up requirements despite policy rollbacks, according to analysts.

Indonesia’s geothermal resources are orders of magnitude larger than previous estimates, according to a report released Tuesday that claims the renewable energy stockpile could help meet the vast majority of the country’s industrial heat demand.

One of Japan's largest securities groups has teamed up with an international NGO to explore carbon credit projects under the bilateral Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

Nepal’s cabinet on Monday approved a Carbon Trading Regulation under the country’s Environmental Protection Act, paving the way for participation in international carbon markets.

Trading on Indonesia’s carbon exchange rose in November as negotiated deals revived activity after months of stagnation, though regular and marketplace segments remained subdued.

Wake up call - Indonesia is fast-tracking its forest and land rehabilitation after severe floods across Sumatra exposed extensive degradation, Ecobiz Asia reported last week, citing a senior forestry official. President Prabowo had ordered the restoration of 12.3 mln ha of critical land, giving new annual targets and priority areas. Funding will mainly come from state budgets, but the ministry is also turning to voluntary carbon markets, allowing private concession holders to generate carbon revenue from rehabilitation work, the official said. The floods have so far displaced more than a million people and killed over 600, according to the Guardian.

Talks underway - Indonesia’s carbon exchange, IDX Carbon, is in talks with international platforms, including Singapore’s CIX, to enable cross-market trading of the Southeast Asian country's carbon credits, Ecobiz Asia reported. International buyers are already entering through multiple channels, and interoperability agreements could further widen access, an IDX official said. Indonesia last month signed an MoU with ICVCM, under which it pledged to align its forestry credits with the body’s quality benchmark. It also plans an international roadshow to showcase its forestry credits to potential investors and buyers before the end of the year to operationalise the export of the country's offsets.

The volume of applications to submit land into New Zealand’s ETS has fallen further in November, according to government data published this week.

Biochar pilot - Clean energy project developer MicroEnergy Credits on Tuesday said it has launched its first biochar-based carbon removal pilot in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, teaming up with 2,000 farmers to convert crop residues into biochar under the European Biochar Certificate framework. The project, which uses Isometric’s methodology, aims to issue 10,000 credits by end of 2026 and sequester 5 MtCO2e through 2055, the company said in a press release.

A financial emissions accounting initiative has Monday published an updated version of its emissions accounting standard for financial institutions.

New Zealand’s finance minister Nicola Willis on Tuesday defended the government’s decision not to budget for offshore mitigation to meet its Paris Agreement targets, saying that there is no legal obligation to meet it. 

Tax it - A coal export tax could help bankroll Indonesia's proposed 100 GW village-level solar rollout, state news agency Antara reported this week, citing a non-profit organisation. Sustainable Welfare Foundation (SUSTAIN) argued that the levy should become a pillar of the Southeast Asian country’s clean energy transition. The duty could raise around $5.63 bln a year, the NGO said. It also called for a progressive tax structure, guaranteed earmarking for the solar programme, and tighter coordination across ministries and state utility PLN to ensure transparent implementation.

Take-off spot – Climate Impact X has launched its first standardised spot contract for Phase 1 (2024-26) of the aviation sector’s CORSIA programme, the Singapore-based exchange announced on Tuesday. The CIX CORSIA Phase 1 X – Global Market (CIX CP1X-GM) contract consolidates all approved registries for the period, to enable efficient delivery of credits. Announced last week, the contract began trading on Monday, with the bid-offer spread narrowing to 10 cents over the day, the exchange said. To date, around 17.3 mln CORSIA-eligible units have been issued, however demand is likely to be in the range of 180-236 mln units for Phase 1.

A European bank has formed a partnership with a New Zealand forestry company to help forest owners develop voluntary carbon market projects, it announced on Monday.

Ray for manufacturing – The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on Tuesday announced conditional funding of A$151 mln ($98.8 mln) for the construction of a solar module manufacturing facility, with a capacity of 500 MW per year, in New South Wales. The cash would be provided as part of the federal government’s A$1-bln Solar Sunshot Program, which is aiming to increase domestic production of solar modules. The Hunter Valley Solar Foundry project, an initiative of the Sunman Group, will develop an advanced solar manufacturing facility, drawing on its parent’s technology to reduce the use of glass in solar panels, ARENA said. It also includes a First Nations recruitment strategy and scholarship programme for those pursuing renewable energy studies.

Consultation on the improved native forest management method (INFM) is set to be launched by the Australian integrity body in a matter of days, however questions are arising about its potential additionality in New South Wales.

A UN-managed climate fund announced on Thursday that it will begin partnering with project developers, in addition to investment fund managers and advisors, to support the scale-up of nature-based investments.

ADB ships it – The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a loan to support green port and ship decarbonisation in Anhui Province, China, totalling CNY755.64 mln ($106.8 mln). The Anhui Province Green Port and Shipping Demonstration Project is aiming to reduce GHG emissions and increase the use of smart technologies, the bank said, as well as enhance resilience to weather events and improve connectivity with inland river ports. Specifically, the project will see climate-resilient inland river ports built and kitted out with energy efficient loading facilities, smart port operation systems, and flood protection mechanisms. It will also replace diesel-fuelled ships with clean fuel container vessels and conduct studies on expanding clean and alternative fuels, according to the bank.