Savanna methodology - Colombia-based BioCarbon Standard has opened a public consultation on Version 2.0 of its BCR0005 methodology for activities preventing the conversion of natural savannas, it announced Friday via LinkedIn. The updated methodology revises scope and applicability, baseline and additionality criteria, and treatment of fire, leakage, and reversal risks, while integrating BioCarbon’s last MRV tools. Stakeholders can submit comments until Jan. 30, 2026

Patagonian macro-project - The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and local developer Halkis presented a soil carbon project for Patagonia at an event in Neuquen province this week, detailing plans to generate voluntary carbon credits through large-scale regenerative grazing practices, Agrositio reported. The binational Argentina-Chile ESTEPPA programme aims to develop a soil organic carbon project, with credits generated from changes in livestock management that increase carbon stocks in grassland soils. TNC said the initiative ultimately seeks to scale up to 10 mln ha of Patagonian rangelands by 2030, with an estimated mitigation potential of more than 5.5 MtCO2e per year. The first implementation phase will focus on a 200,000-ha cluster by 2026. ESTEPPA aims to register under Verra’s VCS.

Removal rules roadmap - The Climate Center released a CO2 removal (CDR) policy guide last month urging California to maintain separation between CDR and emissions reductions, counting removals solely toward dedicated targets of 7 MtCO2 by 2030 and 75 MtCO2 by 2045 rather than the state's 85% emissions reduction requirement. The report recommends strengthening Community Benefits Agreements for industrial CDR including community rights of refusal, requiring science-based setbacks from projects and CO2 pipelines, banning enhanced oil recovery, and developing fossil-free CDR funding mechanisms including compliance markets and tax incentives that do not rely on offsets. Additional recommendations include increased research funding, expanded nature-based solutions investment under AB 1757, and refined monitoring, reporting, and verification protocols.

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) largely stabilised in 2025 after the sharp contraction that began in 2022, marking a transition out of the downturn phase seen over the previous two years, according to a new report.

Combining drone data with satellite metrics can significantly improve carbon stock monitoring in tropical forests where field plots are limited, according to a peer-reviewed study published Friday.

Nepal has become the first Asian country to sign an agreement with the LEAF Coalition, unlocking up to $55 million in results-based climate finance for forest protection in a major step towards the use of jurisdictional REDD+ credits in international compliance markets.

Upcoming webinar - Verra will host a webinar on Feb. 24 at 1000 ET/1500 GMT to provide an overview of its ABACUS label, a designation launched in 2024 with an Amazon-led working group that identifies carbon credits generated under Verra’s Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation methodology (VM0047) that exceed baseline methodological requirements. The session will cover label eligibility criteria, validation and verification requirements, insights from applying the label, and next steps for its further development, alongside responses to frequently asked questions. A representative from Amazon will join the discussion to share perspectives on market demand and pricing dynamics for labelled credits. Register here.

Timber credit oversight - The West Virginia Senate Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee approved Senate Bill 118 (SB 118) creating a Division of Forestry-administered Forest Carbon Registry tracking properties encumbered by forest carbon offset agreements. Carbon project developers or landowners must submit geographic information system shapefiles, landowner and developer contact information, project dates, duration, and forest management obligations within 120 days of executing carbon offset projects, with county courthouse filing required by July 1, 2027. The bill is similar to another legislative initiative introduced in the legislature in Mar. 2025. Senator Eric Tarr (R) introduced the legislation responding to concerns about private carbon market deals lacking reporting requirements. The bill has advanced to the Finance Committee, according to Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Paraguay methodologies - The Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MADES) of Paraguay, through its Carbon Markets Directorate (DMC), said on Wednesday it had made available a homologation form to initiate technical reviews of certification methodologies for GHGs mitigation projects that will become eligible under the country’s carbon market framework. This is part of the programme to Operationalise the National Carbon Market Framework implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

Offset shore - Washington's Department of Ecology (ECY) is seeking expressions of interest for an exploratory working group to evaluate feasibility of a Blue Carbon Offset Protocol under the state's cap-and-invest programme, covering aquatic ecosystems including seagrass beds, wetlands, and riparian forests. The ECY disclosed it would roll out this working group as it announced rulemaking to update its forestry offset protocol. The working group beginning mid-March will examine potential pathways for protocol development based on voluntary market blue carbon protocols, novel approaches, and scientific research. The ECY is seeking expertise in blue carbon ecosystem management, restoration, conservation, and voluntary offset project inventory, development, registration, and verification. Input will inform rulemaking on potential protocol adoption under WAC 173-446.

Ratings tie-up - Calyx Global, a rating agency, and Climate Impact X (CIX), an exchange, have struck a strategic partnership, which will give users of the exchange evaluations of credits integrity.  Calyx Global said it has over 1,000 GHG and 500 SDG ratings that assess the quality and integrity of carbon credits. Calyx co-Founder Duncan van Bergen said, by integrating our independent ratings into the CIX platform, the partners were giving the participants the necessary tools to "distinguish real impact from noise".

In a market with a lot of price and integrity uncertainty, universities are poised to carry out important due diligence when buying carbon credits, according to panellists on a Wednesday webinar.