A handful of state-owned coal heavyweights would shoulder the bulk of the financial hit from Paris-aligned climate policies, with more than $1.9 trillion in stranded power plant value at risk under a 1.5C pathway, according to new research.

Global methane output in 2023 was 15% higher than levels reported to the UNFCCC, according to a new high-resolution satellite analysis that identifies widespread under-estimation across national inventories and finds that oil and gas emissions alone exceed country submissions by almost a third.

Weaknesses in a voluntary carbon market methodology to finance the early retirement of coal-fired power plants risk undermining its environmental credentials, according to a new report.

Going full circle - VIDA bioenergy has commissioned its first biogenic CO2 recovery and liquefaction facility at its Glentham biomethane plant in the UK. The 60 GWh/year facility processes agricultural crops and residues into biomethane for the UK's National Transmission System, while the new CO2 liquefaction unit captures high-purity biogenic CO2 for industrial, food, and beverage applications including brewing. The plant is already supplying CO2 customers and supports future carbon sequestration opportunities.

India's flue gas value - Organic Recycling Systems received India's first CCU grant under the DBT-BIRAC BioE3 programme to build a pilot-scale BIO-CCU platform converting vented CO2 from compressed biogas plants into high-value products. The INR 18.7 mln ($208,000) project with IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur will convert purified CO2 currently flared at CBG facilities into bio-alcohols, specialty chemicals, nutritional supplements, and industrial additives through algal cultivation and photocatalytic conversion. The 24-month initiative targets India's goal of 45% carbon intensity reduction by 2030, creating new revenue streams for biogas operators while advancing industrial decarbonisation.

Finland has formally adopted a government decree establishing the terms for a €90 million support scheme to build large-scale bio-based CO2 capture capacity, with the first competitive tender set to launch in Jan. 2026 as the country moves to accelerate industrial BECCS and BECCU deployment.

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.

Chile has gazetted a flagship Article 6 regulation after a year of debates – and more than four months of checks in the Comptroller’s Office – in the final days of President Gabriel Boric’s left-wing administration.

Managed money boosted their net long positions in California Carbon Allowance (CCA) holdings over the Oct. 29-Nov. 18 period, including a year-to-date (YtD) high in the futures only market, US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data showed, as the agency continues to catch up on publishing data since the federal government shutdown.

Ontario dropping requirements to set and report back on emissions reductions won't spell immediate disaster for its carbon market, but the move will neither propel the province towards greater climate accountability amid ongoing carbon pricing negotiations at the federal level, according to a carbon policy lead.

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.

Low carbon bus launch - A California-based hydrogen tech company, Nikkiso Clean Energy and Industrial Gases Group, announced this week that it has been selected by Clean Energy Fuels Corp, a developer of fuelling stations, to provide equipment for a liquid hydrogen station. Clean Energy is building the hydrogen fuelling station for the Riverside Transit Agency, the primary transit authority for western Riverside County, California. The station will be designed to refuel the RTA’s hydrogen fuel cell busses, marking the beginning of its transition to a low carbon fleet. Nikkiso will provide pumps, vaporisers, dispensers, controls, and a safety system. The station is expected to be operational summer 2026.

US President Donald Trump issued an executive order (EO) Thursday seeking to rein in and regulate proxy advisory firms, marking a major escalation in Republicans’ efforts to block the firms from pushing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) agendas via shareholder voting processes.

Korea disputes emissions cost - A corporate carbon allowance purchase cost of KRW 26.9 trillion (€18.8 bln) projected by the Korea Economic Association’s K-GX Conversion Finance Activation report is likely overstated, South Korea’s environment ministry said last week. The figure assumes flat emissions from ETS-covered companies despite a 3.4% annual decline between 2021 and 2024, and expects allowance prices to jump from KRW 10,000 to KRW 40,000 from 2026. The ministry also noted over 100 mln of surplus allowances are expected to carry into Phase 4 and said it will release transition finance and K-GX support guidelines by mid-2026.

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.

Methanol move – ABS, ENEOS, NYK Line, and SEACOR have launched a joint study to develop a methanol bunkering and supply chain network along the US Gulf Coast, the companies announced. They will be targeting the first commercial-scale ship-to-ship methanol bunkering operations in the country. The companies said the initiative will assess low-carbon methanol supply, including green methanol, as the maritime sector looks to align with the IMO’s net zero emissions target for 2050. ABS will provide class and regulatory support, while ENEOS, NYK Line, and SEACOR will contribute fuel supply, bunkering expertise, and US-flag operational capabilities.

Plastics-to-SAF  - Clean Planet Technologies patented its pyrolysis-oil upgrading process converting waste plastics into sustainable aviation fuel, expanding intellectual property protection beyond its 2022 UK patent, the company announced Monday. The multi-stage technology using fractional condensation, hydrotreating, and distillation transforms unstable, metal-laden pyrolysis oils into ultra-clean feedstocks suitable for SAF refining, with a pilot facility commissioning Q1 2026.

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.

Clean concrete - Canadian think tank Pembina Institute has released a new report outlining strategies for Ontario and Alberta to accelerate the use of lower-carbon concrete in major infrastructure projects. The think tank recommended provinces align concrete procurement with the federal Standard on Embodied Carbon in Construction — which targets a 10% reduction in embodied carbon for concrete — and move codes, standards, and specifications to a performance-based approach harmonised across jurisdictions. Concrete production supports over 166,000 jobs and contributes C$76 bln ($55 bln) annually to Canada’s economy. Cement — the critical binding agent in concrete — accounts for 7% of global GHG emissions and 1.5% of Canada’s emissions.

More hands, less work - Ammonia producer Yara International is negotiating with industrial gas giant Air Products to acquire ammonia production, storage, and shipping facilities at Air Products' blue hydrogen and ammonia Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, representing approximately 25% or $8-$9 bln of project costs. Yara would assume responsibility for related operations and integrate the entire ammonia output into its global distribution network. Air Products would own and operate the industrial gases production, where approximately 80% of the low-carbon hydrogen would be supplied to Yara under a 25-year long-term offtake agreement to produce 2.8 Mt of low-carbon ammonia per year. The remaining hydrogen would be supplied to Air Products’ customers in the US Gulf Coast via Air Products’ 700-mile hydrogen pipeline system. The about 5 Mt per year of high-purity CO2 captured by the Air Products facility would be sequestered by a third party under a long-term agreement to be announced later, the companies said.

French-Canadian partnership - Haffner Energy, a French manufacturer of renewable fuels solutions, has signed a major strategic partnership with an undisclosed Canadian partner to develop a 5 MW industrial pilot project in Quebec. Haffner said the two partners will create a joint venture, owned 49% by Haffner. The new company will hold an exclusive license for Canada. Haffner said the first project opens the door for dozens more multi-energy hubs.

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.

California's last operating nuclear power plant cleared a key regulatory hurdle Thursday when the state Coastal Commission approved its continued operation through 2030, leaving just one state vote and final federal approval before extended operations can proceed.

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.

UN agency ICAO has published an updated Sectoral Growth Factor (SGF) figure for 2024 aviation emissions,  which signals that as many as 55 million eligible carbon credits may be needed by airlines to offset their climate impact that year, marginally lower than its initial calculation.

EU carbon ended the week 2.2% higher, even as Friday saw prices edge lower amid steady profit taking before the Dec-25 futures contract expires.

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.

Nigeria prospects - Activating Nigeria's carbon market offers a way to reduce emissions, raise funds, and help achieve its goal of net zero by 2060, wrote KPMG in a new report. It explores the prospects of operationalising a carbon tax in the country to raise revenues for decarbonisation, as well as the start of developments under Art. 6 of the Paris Agreement for international carbon trade. Nigeria is defining the legal framework for the carbon market policy this year, starting mandatory emissions reporting next year, followed by a carbon tax pilot in 2029, and the start of the first phase of the tax in 2030. The Lagos Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) will also launch in the Q1 2026, to track emissions across various industries.

European farming and fertiliser groups on Wednesday called for a delay to the EU’s carbon border levy on fertilisers, warning that newly adopted rules leave importers facing major cost uncertainty.

Transition backtracking - BP and Shell's significant energy transition reversal over the past five years is explored in this FT article. Their 2020 plans to accelerate into clean energy and slash emissions have more recently ended with dramatic plans to scale back those intentions, faced with shareholder pressure and changed energy system dynamics. Both companies have seen CEO leadership change in the period and have vastly scaled back several energy transition businesses, writing off billions of dollars of value as they shut down, or sell off underperforming units. Bureaucracy challenges and the lower returns offered by electricity were big barriers, as was winning over oil and gas-focused staff. Ultimately, Europe's energy crisis sent oil company profits sky high, and some investors pushed the oil majors to ditch their unprofitable green plans altogether. Both companies are now focusing on transitioning to gas and eventually biofuels and hydrogen, and have significantly cut their clean energy spend.

The second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa will take place in Nairobi in 2026 and will aim to accelerate access to modern cooking fuels for 1 billion people across the continent, the event’s host, the International Energy Agency (IEA), said Thursday.

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.

The connection between economic growth and rising carbon emissions is breaking, according to a study released this week to mark the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement.

The European Commission is preparing a simplified system to help US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters meet reporting obligations under the EU’s methane regulation, with lighter penalties aimed at safeguarding the bloc’s energy security.

Brussels has given the green light for Denmark to spend €3.8 billion on carbon capture and storage (CCS) under EU state aid rules.

Industry support for the carbon border levy has weakened as the phaseout of free allowances under the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) draws closer, according to a report published Friday.

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.

A ratings agency and a platform for buying and selling carbon credits have announced a joint partnership.

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.

No special treatment - Exemptions granted to South Africa utility Eskom to bypass compliance with air pollution laws have been challenged by environmental justice organisations at the North Gauteng High Court. They argue that a section of the air quality act doesn't allow for Eskom to be excluded from the minimum emission standards (MES) at eight power stations. The exemptions were originally granted on condition that Eskom mitigate the harmful impacts through measures like increased air quality monitoring. The claimants are asking the court to confirm that the MES exemption was unlawful and invalid, and ensure the power stations comply with the legally required MES, as well as require Eskom to regularly report on how it's achieving compliance. (Centre for Environmental Rights)

Cruise ship levy - France is set to implement a new €15 levy per passenger for every cruise ship port call it receives, with the tool expected to generate €75 mln annually and the funds ring-fenced for environmental protection, coastal restoration, and maintaining port infrastructure. The world's most-visited country is implementing the measure to counteract cruise ships' high emissions and heavy strain they put on infrastructure. Its Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines also host fragile marine ecosystems that are vulnerable to pollution. The fee will be added to the overall cost of a traveler's trip, though industry groups have voiced opposition, saying operators are already subject to the EU ETS. (Travel and Tour World)

If global temperatures rise 2C by 2050, spending on adaptation would need to hit $1.2 trillion annually to maintain protection at developed-economy standards - over six times today's spend of $190 billion, according to a global consultancy.

Airline credits - Business flyers using Etihad Airways can now redeem their Etihad for Business credits for carbon credits through the Etihad for Business platform, the UAE airline announced Thursday. These credits are added to other corporate offerings, including upgrades, priority services, lounge access, and excess baggage, and are available in partnership with CarbonClick, which calculates flight emissions using the Travel Impact Model. (Business Travel News Europe)

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.

Governments have urged the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to align its Corporate Net-Zero Standard more closely with emerging principles on the use of high-integrity carbon credits, arguing that voluntary carbon markets can play a larger role in accelerating global emissions reductions as the world falls behind its climate goals.

China's national emissions market over the past week saw permits change hands below the RMB 60 ($8.50) mark despite an approaching compliance deadline, but analysts said emerging demand from the industrial sector might help support market sentiment in the coming weeks.

India fund bet - MOL PLUS, the corporate venture capital arm of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, has announced its first investment in an Indian venture capital fund, committing capital to Theia Ventures Fund 1. The fund focuses on startups in energy transition, deep tech, materials science, and advanced manufacturing, areas the MOL Group considers strategically aligned with its expansion beyond shipping, it said. The company said the move will accelerate business creation in India, following the establishment of its India Desk in 2024, while strengthening the India-Japan corridor.

Extending the scope of the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS) to international flights would be a better strategy for decarbonising aviation than the CORSIA offsetting scheme developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), experts have said.

Doubling it - Japan’s Sumitomo Corp will double its planned investment in India's renewable energy landscape to about JPY 200 bln ($1.28 bln), expanding a joint venture with startup Ampin Energy Transition, Nikkei reported. The partners aim to build over 2 GW of solar and wind capacity by 2027. Power will be sold directly to Japanese manufacturers and other corporate clients in India, with nearly 10 firms having signed PPAs, the report added. Sumitomo expects India’s corporate renewable market to surge to 100 GW by 2030, up from 12 GW in 2023.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European People’s Party (EPP) chief Manfred Weber have agreed to scrap the planned EU-wide phaseout of combustion engine car sales from 2035, German tabloid Bild reported.

The Australian government has released an exposure draft outlining amendments to expand its Guarantee of Origin (GO) Scheme to allow certification of additional products.

Wait and see - China's next five-year plan (2026-30), due to be published in March, will set the timing and the level of its emissions peak, as well as whether emissions will be allowed to rebound in the short term, Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), wrote in an analysis. Several issues are worth further observation, including whether the plan will put China back on track for its 2030 Paris pledge or upgrade clean-energy targets, according to Myllyvirta. Observers are also keen to know whether the plan will set an absolute cap on coal consumption or limit coal-power and chemical industry growth. China's clean power expansion is on track to keep the country's CO2 emissions flat this year, but CREA has warned that vague targets could mean an emissions rebound in the coming years.      

Allocation- There has been a 7% decrease from the 2024 Electricity Allocation Floor (EAF), as part of the New Zealand ETS's annual industrial allocation update, the Ministry for Environment announced.  This is due to long periods of low average wholesale electricity prices during the 2024-25 financial year, the ministry said. Baseline updates are part of the calculation used to determine how many NZUs each company gets each year, with the EAF being one component used for the calculation. Around 80 New Zealand companies have emission-intensive and trade-exposed activities and receive industrial allocation. The updated allocative baselines will come into force from Jan. 1, 2026.

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.

Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) Net Zero Commission (NZC) has called for tougher regulations that “strongly limit” the use of carbon offsets to cut coal mine emissions in line with the state’s climate targets.

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.

An Australian hydrogen and graphite technology developer on Friday signed a pact with a commodity supplier to help decarbonise South Australia’s Whyalla steelworks.

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.

No mining zone - Ghana has banned mining in forest reserves as part of new environmental protections aimed at safeguarding water bodies and halting deforestation, Reuters reported. The move comes amid a surge in poorly regulated small-scale mining that has damaged cocoa farms, degraded forests and rivers, and created sustainability risks for the country’s mining sector. The repeal of the 2022 regulations, which had allowed controlled mining in forest reserves, took effect this week and restored stronger legal protections for forests, water sources, and farmlands.

Authority established - Papua New Guinea's Climate Change and Development Authority (CCDA) has signed an MoU with the Western Highlands Provincial Administration to establish a Provincial Climate Change Committee in Mt. Hagen, it announced in a LinkedIn post.
This partnership aims to strengthen sub-national climate action by aligning local planning, reporting, and project implementation with PNG's national climate policies and priorities. The agreement also enhances data sharing, capacity building, and technical support to improve resilience, access to funding, and community preparedness for climate impacts, CCDA said.

A new peer-reviewed study has concluded that thermally catalysed oxidation of low-concentration methane from livestock manure stores can achieve net-negative emissions under the right conditions, potentially positioning the technology as a future source of carbon removal credits if market frameworks evolve to accommodate methane-to-CO2 conversion approaches.

The head of a carbon project developer with one of the biggest outstanding carbon abatement contracts (CACs) volumes has welcomed the new permanent exit arrangements announced by the Australian government last week.