The US Biochar Initiative (USBI) has published a new laboratory analysis standard for biochar, marking what the organisation describes as a step-change for the North American market as carbon removal developers, regulators, and buyers seek more consistent data on material quality and pollutant thresholds.

EDFI guarantee - Brussels-based EDFI Management Company has issued a guarantee under the EU-funded EDFI Carbon Sinks programme to support Proparco’s investment in AXA IM Alts’ Natural Capital & Impact strategy, it said Dec. 8. The backing aims to de-risk the strategy’s equity exposure in large-scale nature-based carbon sink projects in emerging markets and attract further public and private capital. The strategy finances companies and land-based projects that generate high-integrity carbon credits alongside biodiversity and livelihood benefits.

Guatemala's forest carbon – Guatemala’s forests and trees outside forests store an estimated 415.2 MtCO2, according to results from the country’s second National Forest Inventory (IFN), released this week by the National Forest Institute (INAB) and the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), with support from the FAO. The inventory, conducted between 2021-24 across 494 sampling units nationwide, estimated that forests cover 38% of Guatemala’s territory, or around 4.14 mln ha. The assessment also provided data on biomass, biodiversity, timber stocks, forest structure, and regeneration, reinforcing the role of Guatemala’s forest ecosystems in climate mitigation and sustainable land-use planning.

Amazon storage – Colombia published the first cycle of its National Forest Inventory (NFI) this week, revealing that the Amazon region stores an estimated nearly 5 bln tonnes of carbon in above-ground biomass, based on data collected between 2015-23. The inventory shows an average of 128.2 tC/ha in above-ground biomass, rising to 154.6 tC/ha when below-ground carbon is included. Led by the environment ministry alongside the national climate agency IDEAM, research institutes, universities, and forest communities, the NFI covered 1,410 plots nationwide, including 520 in the Amazon, and is expected to strengthen Colombia’s climate accounting, forest protection efforts, and policy planning.

A new open-access handbook warns that high failure rates and short-term monitoring are undermining large-scale tree-planting efforts in Europe, highlighting the need for more consistent, long-term approaches to measuring success.

Two international oil companies launched on Friday what they called the largest-ever project to calculate carbon stocks in Brazil, planning to investing R$100 million ($18.4 mln) into the initiative.

Swiss moves - The Swiss government has approved measures and baseline studies to strengthen the use of existing climate funding sources and explore new ones, including promoting private investment and supporting climate-friendly exports, it announced Friday. It will report on progress to the Federal Council by June 2027, which will decide next steps. As well, Switzerland has set out a new 2050 strategy for long-term sustainable forest protection and use, the government also decided Friday. Switzerland’s forests deliver crucial ecological and social functions - protecting against natural hazards, storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and supplying wood. The strategy replaces prior forest and wood policies and balances conservation with sustainable utilisation. It includes a set of measures for the 2025–32 period and relies on collaboration among federal, cantonal, and sector stakeholders.

A voluntary carbon standard has opened a public consultation on a proposed revision to its sustainable grasslands carbon crediting methodology, marking a significant update from previous approaches, it said Friday.

Verra is requesting the replacement of over 4 million voluntary credits issued to four Chinese forestry projects after a review could not determine that they had been approved by government authorities, with the carbon standards body also launching an investigation into a further 45 activities based in the country due to similar concerns.

Growing investor demand for timberland assets is driving significant price increases, threatening to squeeze returns for buyers, amid hopes that nature-based credits can help fill the gap, an asset manager told Carbon Pulse.

Logistics of moving biomass from scattered farms to centralised pyrolysis units remains the biggest challenge to scaling production in India’s increasingly crowded biochar space, a project developer told Carbon Pulse.

Liberia and France have launched a €9 million conservation initiative aimed at protecting the Wonegizi–Wologizi forest landscape in northern Lofa County, marking the start of a five-year programme to strengthen forest governance and support local communities.

Biochar production in Argentina has been given by a boost after a carbon removal financier agreed to pre-purchase 165,000 tonnes from a new venture.

A European satellite analytics company this week partnered with a conservation group in Indonesia to deploy “hyperspectral imaging” and AI to track the country’s mangrove and seagrass ecosystems.

Limited crediting periods, additionality rules, and costly auditing requirements have all been cited as barriers to participating in the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme, according to a New South Wales government report exploring how to reduce emissions in primary industries.

Cotton credits - The Better Cotton Initiative and climate-tech startup Planboo have announced a pilot project in India that will train at least 75 cotton farmers to convert agricultural waste from the Jan. 2026 cotton harvest into biochar. The work aims to improve soil health, store long-term carbon, and evaluate the model’s scalability. Beginning in February in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, three kilns will process about 375 tonnes of crop residues to produce 60-70 tonnes of biochar, with Planboo’s digital MRV system tracking waste inputs, biochar output, and verified carbon removals to enable potential new income streams for farmers. The project will run through the end of 2026, after which the initiative will share findings on impacts to yields, water retention, emissions reductions, and carbon removal. The initiative and Planboo announced their partnership in September.