Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) and afforestation (AR) projects under Ethiopia’s REDD+ Investment Program reduced modelled soil erosion across pilot sites over the past decade, according to a newly accepted manuscript.

Ice interventions - Ocean Visions, a US-based non-profit ocean conservation organisation, has awarded funding to six research teams through its Arctic Sea Ice Restoration Research Fund to examine proposed geoengineering approaches aimed at slowing the loss of Arctic summer sea ice, according to a Feb. 12 announcement. The organisation said the projects were selected through an open call and independent expert review process. Four teams will study cloud-based interventions commonly associated with solar radiation modification, including marine cloud brightening and mixed phase cloud thinning, while two others will assess proposals to reduce sea ice export through the Nares and Fram Straits. The funded research will rely on historical and model data rather than fieldwork and builds on prior assessments of 21 potential sea ice protection approaches, including analysis of environmental, social, and governance considerations.

A coalition of green groups has called on EU legislators to strike down the European Commission’s proposed certification rules for permanent carbon removals, arguing they leave biochar projects virtually unmonitored and breach the bloc’s own climate law.

European carbon prices could be steered lower when abatement costs spike without resorting to politically toxic price corridors or caps, an economist has suggested.

The UK ETS Authority has dropped free UKA permit handouts for 2026 industrial emissions by 3% since previous figures were published in December, meaning the year-on-year cut now stands at over 5%, it confirmed late on Thursday.

Claims that AI will deliver large-scale emissions reductions are largely tied to lower-impact applications and frequently supported by limited evidence, according to a new report.

Offtake deals for nature-based carbon credits will jump this year to extend a trend after funding announced for projects reached a record $9 billion in 2025, despite an overall dip in voluntary carbon funding, according to a new report.

E-methanol supply - E-fuels company eFuel One has agreed to purchase 100,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually from HIF Global, they stated in a release Thursday. The agreed supply will come from HIF’s Paysandú project in Uruguay and will be certified under EU RED III RFNBO standards. It will support HIF Global's aim to expand in Europe and will help to expand the reach of sustainable fuels on the continent. E-methanol can be used directly in shipping and other industry, or converted into other green fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for planes.

European carbon prices declined modestly on Thursday after several efforts to move the benchmark up near a technical resistance level were beaten back, while the wider market was said to be preoccupied with geopolitical developments in the Middle East.

New rules proposed for calculating cookstove credits in Kenya have created a conundrum for meeting Paris Agreement targets because too much woodland in the country is labelled as renewable, according to one market participant.

Ministers underscored the importance of energy to national security as they convened at an International Energy Agency (IEA) summit in Paris this week, acknowledging the need to ensure diversification, affordability, and international collaboration in the context of global decarbonisation.

The German government is still clarifying the impact of the EU’s decision to postpone the ETS2 on the country’s 2027 national carbon price, Politico Europe has reported, suggesting that an apparent deal to extend the current price corridor to next year is not a given.

Corporate sustainability teams spend most of their time wrestling with reporting, while emission reduction measures take a backseat – and they remain distrustful of AI to support their efforts, a new report has found.

Fertiliser credits - A Sh107 bln ($832.8 mln) fertiliser factory backed by Kenya Electricity Generating Company and China’s Kaishan Group is set to sell carbon credits by quantifying and marketing the emissions reductions achieved through its geothermal-powered green fertiliser production. The Naivasha-based project, which will use 165 MW of renewable energy to displace traditional fossil-intensive fertiliser manufacturing, is expected to help Kenya avoid around 600,000 tonnes of CO2e annually and could serve as an anchor for carbon credit exports under bilateral trading frameworks, according to local media reports.

Carbon partners - Paris-based sustainability-focussed asset manager Mirova has signed framework agreements with carbon ratings agencies BeZero Carbon and Sylvera, it said in a statement Thursday. The partnership is intended to strengthen the quality standards and transparency of Mirova's carbon strategies, helping it to direct capital toward the highest-quality climate and nature-positive solutions. Mirova is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.

Climate funding - University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland has assigned a combined €1 mln in funding to four projects under the annual Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Research Call. The programme focusses on policy-relevant research addressing known knowledge gaps relevant to environmental and climate policy. Projects allocated funding this year are one exploring the effects of climate change on forestry carbon stores in Ireland, another looking at irrigating pastures with treated wastewater, a third exploring indicators for measuring policy actions and climate trends, and a fourth for determining environmental impacts on landscape.

The Council of EU member states is not expected to reach a joint position on the proposed reform of the bloc's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by mid-March as initially planned, but rather towards the end of the second quarter, sources told Carbon Pulse.

A digital agriculture technology provider has launched its first cocoa traceability project in Cote d’Ivoire in partnership with a local exporter, in a bid to support compliance with EU due diligence requirements and improve supply chain transparency.

Renewable energy rollout may be the fastest way to cut emissions, but the extent to which these projects should be bankrolled by carbon credits remains a dicey question.

Compliance markets are expected to play a growing role in shaping carbon credit demand over the coming years, with buying under schemes such as CORSIA and domestic systems projected to rise steadily and surpass voluntary demand as early as 2029, a webinar heard on Wednesday.

Peru has added its first-ever Article 6 project, a clean cookstoves initiative, to the RENAMI national carbon registry, according to a resolution issued Wednesday by the Climate Change Directorate.

No gold medal here - The carbon footprint of the Olympic Games remains substantial - ranging from 1.59 to 4.5 mln tonnes of CO2e per edition since 2012 - despite efforts by the International Olympic Committee to reform them, found a study by the University of Lausanne. To comply with the Paris Agreement, the study argues that Olympic emissions must be cut by 48% by 2030, 70% by 2040, and 84% by 2050. Measures to do so should include scaling down the event to fit existing venues and transport systems, prioritising local spectators and sustainable rail travel to limit air travel, and developing immersive remote viewing options such as virtual reality experiences. The researchers also urge event operators to rely more heavily on renewables, plant-based catering, and low-carbon transport. Whilst the IOC should also improve data collection and verification on emissions.

A Paris-based developer has raised €50 million from several development finance institutions (DFIs) to scale its most advanced nature-based carbon projects.

Applications open - Indonesia is inviting applications for the first cycle of the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA), a UK government-funded programme for funding for low-carbon projects. CFA Indonesia is seeking revenue-generating, climate-aligned businesses requiring at least $3 mln in funding, with priority sectors including energy, waste, agriculture, transport, industrial processes, and forestry and land use. Applications close on Mar. 9, 2026, with selected participants allowed to engage with financiers.

Verra has approved its first carbon credits under a digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (DMRV) pilot initiative for high-frequency issuances, including monthly and bi-monthly cycles, the US standard-setter said Thursday.

On trial - France's first major climate trial against an oil and gas major begun on Thursday at the Paris Court of Justice, six years after a case was filed against TotalEnergies by the StopEACOP campaign, urging the French courts to require TotalEnergies to reduce fossil fuel production. Started in 2020, the campaign consists of a coalition of advocacy organisations alongside the city of Paris, who strongly oppose the company's planned annual production growth of around 3% a year and involvement in controversial projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). French prosecutors previously intervened in support of TotalEnergies, arguing the duty of vigilance framework shouldn't extend to climate change, but courts worldwide now increasingly recognise that climate change directly threatens human rights and fossil fuel producers cannot escape responsibility. For the first time in France, this trial will ask judges whether an oil major can be legally compelled to curb fossil fuel production - and such a ruling could mark a turning point with implications globally, the campaign wrote in an email Thursday.

The government of France has awarded UK chemicals giant Ineos a €300 million grant to rejuvenate and decarbonise its plant in southern France, aiming to cut CO2 emissions by 331,000 tonnes a year.

Cyprus livestock emissions – The Cyprus government has approved a €1.15 mln programme to monitor and cut greenhouse gas emissions from livestock as part of efforts to reduce national emissions 32% by 2030. The three‑year scheme (2026‑28) will carry out measurements of actual emissions from the livestock sector and employ five fixed‑term staff for two years. It builds on a previous Agricultural Research Institute project on nitrogen fertilisers that cut calculated emissions by 70%, saving the state €4.8 million annually via the EU Emissions Trading System. New data will inform measures under Cyprus’ next Rural Development Strategic Plan. (Philenews)

Perfect match - The number of days ideally suited to sparking wildfires, when the weather is hot, dry, and windy, has nearly tripled in the past 45 years globally, according to a new study by the University of California, Merced. More than half of the increase in these days is caused by human-caused climate change, and the trend is rising even higher in the Americas. In 1979 and for the next 15 years, the world averaged 22 synchronous fire weather days a year for flames that stayed within large global regions, whilst in 2023 and 2024, it was up to more than 60 days a year. Extreme fire weather is the primary, but not only, factor in increasing fire impacts across the globe. The southern half of South America is particularly hard hit - the region averaged 5.5 synchronous fire weather days a year from 1979 to 1988, but over the last decade, that’s risen to 70.6 days a year. (the Guardian)

As many as eight tipping points could be crossed below 2C of global warming, according to a new academic study, which stresses 1.5C will likely be passed later this decade or next.

A group of fuel producers and non-profits have sent a joint letter to the European Commission warning that an early reopening of EU renewable hydrogen production standards risks spooking investors, penalising early movers, and weakening environmental safeguards.

An Indian carbon dioxide removal developer will scale biochar-based carbon credits from a cashew waste project in Cote d'Ivoire, it announced Thursday.

Africa’s Gold Standard - The African Union officially launched the continent-wide effort to set a standard for carbon markets – referred to as Africa’s Gold Standard, led by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in Addis Ababa last week. The initiative, originally launched in Aug. 2025, aims to enhance transparency, fairness, and African leadership in global carbon trading, ensuring that certification, methodology approval, and benefit distribution are controlled within the continent. AUDA-NEPAD said the framework will help coordinate member states, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and promote equitable participation in carbon finance, positioning Africa as a credible partner and solutions provider under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

An Australian material science company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a German industrial company to develop and test direct air capture (DAC) adsorber technology, it announced Thursday.

There is good potential for the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution endorsing a landmark climate change opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) despite US resistance, an international climate policy expert told Carbon Pulse Thursday.

A sustainable forestry developer has partnered with a digital technology provider to strengthen monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of biochar carbon removal projects, they announced on Wednesday.