Rural cookstove projects are “likely highly additional”, especially in areas without other government incentives, according to a new study.

Salty performance - Chinese battery maker CATL and automaker CHANGAN launched the world's first mass-production passenger vehicle powered by sodium-ion batteries on Wednesday, with the car set to reach markets by mid-2026. CATL's Naxtra batteries achieve 175 Wh/kg energy density and over 400 km range, operating in temperatures as low as -50C. The company plans to open more than 3,000 battery swap stations across China by 2026. The global sodium-ion battery market is expected to grow from $1.39 bln in 2025 to $6.83 bln by 2034, according to Precedence Research.

Biochar and other carbon removal (CDR) pathways delivered significantly fewer credits than forecast in 2025, according to a report released on Tuesday.

A carbon credit rating agency is branching out into commodities, using its methodology to identify for investors and developers the best option when monetising lower emissions from a facility.

ASEAN’s steel industry lacks even the most basic forms of carbon intensity benchmarks, a webinar heard Tuesday, raising questions over the credibility of the region’s efforts to decarbonise their steel sectors.

World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia) and a local plantation company have launched a pilot regenerative palm oil project in Sabah, aiming to test farming practices that could cut emissions, restore biodiversity, and improve soil health across one of the country’s key agricultural regions.

BP has stopped its share buyback policy after profits in 2025 were hit by lower oil and gas prices, and shortly after investors questioned whether its fossil fuel reset would provide value for money.

A coastal city in South Korea is seeking to create carbon credits by utilising its marine resources, particularly as tidal flats are gaining recognition for their roles in carbon sequestration.

Extending partnership - Indonesia and the UK launched the fifth phase of their Multistakeholder Forestry Programme, aimed at strengthening forest governance, transparency, and confidence in Indonesian forest products, the Indonesian government said. The programme, backed by Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, builds on a partnership dating back to 2000 and supports Indonesia’s goal of achieving a forestry and land-use net carbon sink by 2030. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the initiative would reinforce legality and sustainability systems while improving livelihoods for forest-dependent communities.

Biochar guide - Indonesia’s central bank has launched a climate-smart agriculture guide promoting biochar technology to raise rice yields, cut emissions, and bolster food security, national news agency Antara reported. Bank Indonesia said pilot projects in Central Java last year lifted rice yields by 6.3%, while improving soil quality and fertiliser and water efficiency. The handbook, developed with government ministries and Diponegoro University, aims to help farmers and agribusinesses adopt sustainable farming methods using biochar.

Buying activity from a compliance entity covered under New Zealand’s ETS sent NZU prices to a 3-month high, according to participants.

Vietnam has set a greenhouse gas emissions quota of more than 268 million tonnes of CO2e for 2026 under its pilot emissions trading system (ETS), as it moves ahead with regulating emissions from heavy industry.

China's environment ministry has outlined this year's compliance deadlines and relevant tasks under the national emissions trading scheme, including requirements for emitters in six new industrial sectors, such as petrochemicals and aviation, to report their emissions.

The New Zealand government presented its decision to build a new LNG import terminal as an insurance policy for dry years, but the decision to fund it by a levy on electricity bills risks jeopardising clean investments and delaying the country’s decarbonisation, critics warned.

Australian first - ANZ Bank has announced its support for MTR Corporation’s inaugural A$2 bln ($1.4 bln) dual-tranche senior unsecured green bond, marking the Hong Kong-headquartered metro operator's first Australian-dollar issuance and one of the largest such corporate deals on record in Australia. The net proceeds are intended to finance or refinance eligible green investments under MTRC’s Sustainable Finance Framework, including energy-efficient rail infrastructure and renewable projects.

Executives of Australia’s Climate Change Authority (CCA) have faced questions over how potential conflicts of interest relating to its chair's role in a carbon project investor could influence its review of the country’s carbon market.

Training for the future – Singapore’s Energy Efficiency Technology Centre (EETC) has opened a new facility at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) Punggol campus on Monday. Backed by SIT and the National Environment Agency (NEA), the EETC offers training and upskilling to build local industrial energy efficiency capabilities. The new facility features Singapore’s first integrated suite of industrial systems, including heat pumps, compressed air, and lighting, the NEA said in a press release. Participants will also have access to an energy management system with simulation capabilities and real-time data collection, to enable training without disrupting operations, the release said. Via a collaboration with tech solutions company Willowglen Services, SIT will be developing a sustainability reporting system for the training facility, including emissions. The new site will help EETC to deliver 1,500 hours of hands-on training annually, the NEA added.