Exterra collab, rebrand – Verification company SGS will collaborate with Quebec’s Exterra Technologies to demonstrate on-site regeneration of key chemical inputs can lower reagent costs and environmental impacts at the carbon mineralisation company’s flagship Hub 1 project, expected to avoid 300,000 tCO2e per year. Canadian Environment Minister Tim Hodgson recently announced a C$5 mln ($3.7 mln) towards the project. Exterra also recently rebranded from Exterra Carbon Solutions, with the company saying its new name reflects the full scope of its mineral processing platform.

Seas of change – Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have reported preliminary results from the first US EPA-permitted ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trial, conducted in the Gulf of Maine in August 2025. The experiment was part of the LOC-NESS (Locking Ocean Carbon in the Northeast Shelf and Slope) project, and the findings were presented at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow. During the six-hour test, researchers released purified sodium hydroxide and a tracer dye into surface waters, then tracked the resulting alkalinity patch for four days using ships, autonomous underwater vehicles, gliders, water sampling, and satellite monitoring. The early findings demonstrate that small-scale OAE deployments can be engineered, tracked, and monitored with high precision, said project lead Adam Subhas.

Environmental groups and Washington state filed separate Ninth Circuit petitions Tuesday, challenging a federal emergency order requiring the state's last coal plant to remain available past its legally mandated retirement date.

Brazil's oil and gas regulator has approved two resolutions establishing the certification system for biomethane and detailing how mandatory decarbonisation targets will be allocated among natural gas producers and importers.

Peru’s Indigenous-led jurisdictional REDD+ (RIJ) programme has advanced key governance and carbon market design elements, as it deepens alignment with the TREES programme from the standard ART.

Large-scale soil carbon sampling using automated analysis systems could make measuring climate impacts from land management practices economically feasible, researchers said during a webinar on Tuesday.

The US Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) recent decision striking down President Donald Trump’s (R) use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs has narrowed the executive branch’s unilateral trade authority and could increase interest from lawmakers to pursue statutory trade tools – including border carbon adjustments (BCAs).

A British Columbia-based developer plans to expand its carbon capture and storage (CCS) business in Western Canada via its acquisition of a carbon removal (CDR) developer based in Calgary.

Promoting LATAM markets – A regional alliance of carbon markets associations, Red Carbono Latam, will push for increased participation in Article 6 and CORSIA, as well as advocating for market regulations, and environmental and social integrity throughout 2026, it announced Tuesday on social media. The regional network, launched mid-2025, includes industry and nature-based solutions associations from Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Chile.

Generational justice – Young climate activists challenging US energy policy will soon present arguments in three court cases, beginning on Wednesday in Alaska, E&E News reported. The lawsuits target government support for fossil fuel development and regulatory decisions that activists say undermine efforts to limit climate pollution. Backed by legal nonprofit Our Children’s Trust, the plaintiffs will argue that young people have a constitutional right to a stable climate and that government actions violate that right. The Trump administration and its lawyers reject the claims, describing them as policy advocacy rather than legitimate legal disputes. Advocates said the cases aim to establish legal precedent recognising climate harm as a constitutional issue.

Big in Japan - Tokyo ​and the White House are working to include a nuclear power project in the second ‌round of deals under Japan's $550-billion investment package in the US, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. The nuclear power project, which the sources say will involve Westinghouse, is designed to strengthen both countries' energy supply chains as war in ​the Middle East renews concerns about energy security.The plan for a nuclear power project, as well as a copper refining facility, is being discussed and could be talked into details later this month when Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is due to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House this month, according to Reuters’ anonymous sources.  Last year, as part of the US-Japan trade agreement, Japan pledged to buy $8 bln worth of American products per year. The Government of Japan has also agreed to invest $550 bln in the United States, the White House said.

A Republican lawmaker would look to block polluters-pay lawsuits before they wash up on Louisiana's shores.

A durable carbon removal (CDR) monitoring and purchasing platform has announced a multi-year deal with a US-based aerospace giant to source at least 40,000 CDR credits, building upon prior announcements in the aviation sector.

A large carbon financier is on the verge of owning its portfolio “outright” after recovering from a challenging period, dismissing reports it had been put up for sale.

End-user demand across the voluntary carbon market (VCM) was strong in February, with over 25 million credits retired, a level not seen for a year, while prices for those eligible to be used under the CORSIA international aviation offsetting scheme took a tumble as analysts noted that a steady stream of supply may finally be on the cards.

Internal carbon pricing (ICP) can help companies manage transition risks, guide capital allocation, and strengthen financial resilience as carbon costs grow increasingly material, according to a report published Wednesday.

A financial data provider has launched a mechanism allowing voluntary carbon market (VCM) registries to request unique identifiers for carbon credits with the aim to improve transparency and traceability across the market.

Applications call - The Rockefeller Foundation has announced that 87 leaders from six continents are joining the Bellagio Center Residency Program’s 2026 Class, who will advance work on areas including advancing climate solutions. It's also opened a call for applications for 2027 residencies, with an explicit interest on projects including universal energy abundance, climate and development, and food systems. Applications are open to academics and practitioners working in any area of study. More info here.

Microplastics accumulating in terrestrial soils could significantly alter how carbon is stored and released from land ecosystems, with implications for climate mitigation strategies and carbon accounting, according to new research.

Wildfires in North America’s boreal forests have contrasting impacts on the climate depending on where they occur, with fires in Alaska contributing to warming while those in Canada tend to produce a cooling effect due largely to changes in snow reflectivity, according to a new study.

This year's COP31 will play a crucial role in establishing a framework for the second Global Stocktake (GST2) in 2028, as well maintain momentum on climate action in a fracturing geopolitical landscape, a think tank said in a briefing published Tuesday. 

Traders and analysts polled by Carbon Pulse ahead of Wednesday's Q1 Washington state carbon auction expected an all-time high settlement, but were split whether it would come in above, below, or at front-month Washington Carbon Allowance (WCA) futures prices.

Hot to go – Texas-based geothermal company Quaise Energy is developing its first “superhot” power plant using its rock-melting technology to reach over 300C. The startup told Canary Media it aims to raise $200 mln to support its commercial 50-MW plant in central Oregon, Project Obsidian. Quaise is seeking $100 mln in Series B financing, and the rest of those funds in grants and debt.

Slashing methane - Industry-led Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI) and non-profit Carbon Mapper announced a collaboration on Tuesday to accelerate methane emissions reductions in the oil and gas sector. Carbon Mapper will apply its satellite-based methane data and strategic insights to OGCI’s industry-led engagement model to work with oil and gas operators to strengthen leak detection and repair programmes. The collaboration plans aims to amplify mitigation efforts, reduce waste, and improve operational practices.

The US EPA issued a permit on Tuesday allowing a joint venture to inject and store CO2 in Indiana.