Development partners – The Restoration Seed Capital Facility (RSCF), implemented by UN Environment Programme, has named French nature-based solutions developer Hummingbirds as its first Project Development Partner, aiming to accelerate private investment into forest restoration projects across Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, it announced this week. Under the partnership, RSCF will provide early-stage finance to help build a pipeline of investment-ready projects spanning REDD+, afforestation and reforestation, improved forest management, and blue carbon. Hummingbirds specialises in de-risking early-phase nature-based carbon projects through pre-feasibility and pilot-stage financing.

An investment advisory body published guidance on integrating deforestation into institutional net zero strategies.

Projects taking place in Chile under Article 6.2 bilateral agreements have unlocked some $1.4 billion in investment, according to officials and panellists speaking at an event in Santiago on Thursday.

Form a line - The UNFCCC has released new forms to support the transition of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) activities (PA and PoA) to the Article 6.4 mechanism under the Paris Agreement. Titled 'Request for Review of Provisional Issuance for Article 6.4 Mechanism Programmes of Activities and Projects Transitioned from CDM', the form standardises how reviews of provisional issuance can be requested for transitioned programmes of activities, project activities, and component projects. It specifies who may request a review, the required project identifiers, monitoring period details, issuance batch information, and valid grounds for review.

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) is showing stronger alignment between credit integrity and price, but outdated supply and persistent misconceptions continue to undermine quality and investor confidence, according to experts.

Private equity firms remain heavily exposed to fossil fuels despite years of climate pledges, according to updated information released by a data consortium.

Carbon, capture, and storage (CCS) costs are expected to be higher than $150/tonne, far above current compliance or voluntary carbon prices, leaving many projects reliant on national subsidies to be commercially viable, a survey has found.

Australia’s government forecasts that diesel emissions from its mining sector have peaked and will decline over the next decade is at odds with reality, according to research published Friday.

Species can be negatively impacted by afforestation and reforestation, particularly if projects prioritise carbon sequestration over biodiversity conservation, new research said this week.

Domestic processing - India plans to offer incentives for companies to set up energy intensive lithium and nickel processing plants to support its energy transition and electric vehicle ambitions, Reuters reported, citing unnamed government sources. The proposal includes a 15% capital subsidy for eligible projects starting from Apr. 2026, subject to caps and utilisation targets. Incentives would run for five years, capped at 40% of annual net sales for lithium plants and 25% for nickel facilities. The government initially aims to support two lithium and two nickel projects to meet domestic demand by 2030.

Indonesia’s carbon market is complex and weak on incentives, with an emission calculation system considered not yet fully accurate, according to a new survey of industry professionals.

China's crop straw resources hold great potential for carbon removal projects, but achieving a green premium takes further participation in the international CDR market, a new report has found.

A prominent Australian feed additive company posted a strong growth in revenues over the past quarter after securing a major client, with plans to foray into overseas markets.

Electricity emissions from Australia’s largest grid fell 6.2% year-on-year last quarter as renewables supplied more than half of total energy needs for the first time, according to a report by the market operator.

Stuck in first gear - Vietnam has yet to produce green hydrogen at scale nearly two years after approving its national hydrogen strategy, a government report showed this week, with all announced projects still stuck in planning or permitting stages. The Ministry of Industry and Trade said several green hydrogen and ammonia projects had been proposed across southern provinces, but none had reached commercial operation due to high costs, weak demand, and regulatory gaps. Hydrogen use in Vietnam remains limited to small volumes of grey hydrogen consumed on-site by refineries and fertiliser plants, with no pipeline infrastructure in place, the ministry said. Authorities flagged the absence of clear incentives, safety standards, and pricing mechanisms, and called for faster policy coordination to avoid delaying long-term decarbonisation plans.

Helping hand - Tonga and Australia have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation on renewable energy and climate action, aimed at helping the Pacific nation reach 100% renewables. The partnership, backed by Australia’s APPET programme, will support Tonga’s energy transition through policy, regulatory, and institutional assistance aligned with its NDCs and 2021-35 energy roadmap. It will focus on strengthening government agencies, utilities, and regulators, as well as workforce development and knowledge transfer, to improve energy reliability and affordability.

Waste credits - The Indian government has notified Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, which will come into force from Apr. 1, tightening requirements for waste segregation, accountability, and monitoring across the country. Issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change under the Environment (Protection) Act, the new rules mandate four-stream segregation at source and introduce environmental compensation for violations based on the polluter-pays principle. The rules define responsibilities for bulk waste generators, strengthen extended producer and bulk waste generator responsibility, promote the use of refuse-derived fuel by industries, and restrict landfilling to inert and non-recoverable waste. The framework enables online tracking of the entire waste management chain, faster land allocation for processing facilities, and encourages local bodies to generate carbon credits.

Research published Thursday has pushed for Australia’s Safeguard Mechanism to be scrapped, rather than expanded, and replaced with two levies that it says will raise billions and be more effective at cutting emissions.

New Zealand has published an updated version of its second Emissions Reduction Plan based on revised projections following its decision to weaken the country’s biogenic methane target and forgo pricing pollution in the agricultural sector.

Flying on UCO – An Israeli university announced on Tuesday a partnership with engineering giant Boeing to develop SAF from used cooking oil (UCO) feedstocks. Media reports said the product remains two to five times m expensive than conventional fuel, while significantly cutting emissions. Boeing and its university partner launched the implementation phase, and is developing SAF produced from green hydrogen and CO2. Also on Tuesday, the multinational technology conglomerate Honeywell announced a partnership to expand SAF production with SAF One Energy Management and Tata Projects Limited, the engineering arm of the Indian technology company Tata Group. Honeywell said it will deliver an integrated solution along with the Tata subsidiary, involving the American company’s Ecofining process that transforms UCO and other waste oils into SAF. The North Carolina-headquartered company announced in October its new technology converting biomass into SAF and advanced fuel for the maritime sector.