The construction of the “cornerstone” of Paraguay’s Article 6 ambitions is moving rapidly, aiming for a 2026 timeline amid a push to unlock its first international transfers, government officials said.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has become a constructive forum on climate policy and border carbon adjustments (BCAs) despite a global downturn in climate and trade multilateralism, according to a policy expert and ex-WTO negotiator speaking to Carbon Pulse from the 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $960.3 million for 18 projects supporting developing countries, it announced this week.

March headlines for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) were dominated by US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, followed by the Gulf country’s retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz – impacting Asian emissions, European carbon markets, and global energy security.

Burning questions – Qualterra Inc., a Washington-headquartered biochar and biomass technology company, and Texas-based Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) have partnered to deploy a biomass processing system to support research and development, it was announced this week. The collaboration involves the university’s College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (CAFNR), with the system funded through a USDA grant and capable of processing more than 20 feedstocks into biochar. Delivery is scheduled for later this year, with both parties working on logistics, training, and site preparation ahead of installation.

Two Latin American countries signed a bilateral agreement this week to deepen cooperation on forest management, climate resilience, and carbon market opportunities.

Emitters reduced their net short position in RGGI Allowances (RGAs) and edged wider their net length in California Carbon Allowances (CCAs), the latest US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) data showed.

Verra opened a public consultation on proposed revisions to its methodology for the accelerated retirement of coal-fired power plants, according to a Friday announcement.

Massachusetts unveiled on Friday the 2026 adjustment for banked allowances under its Global Warming Solutions Act (GWSA) carbon market.

Can't eat carbon - An analysis by 440 Megatonnes (440), the data platform of think tank Canadian Climate Institute, has found Canada’s industrial carbon price will add 0.1 per cent to the price of food – or something like adding a single penny to the price of a dozen eggs. Ross Linden-Fraser, research lead for 440, wrote the industrial carbon price as a nearly imperceptible impact as the Bank of Canada warns that inflation may be about to rise due to the war in Iran.

Not adding up - Canadian think tank Pembina Institute said Alberta’s draft methane regulations appear to contradict its new methane emissions commitment with the federal government. Amanda Bryant, manager of Pembina’s oil and gas programme, wrote Alberta has agreed to an outcomes-based equivalency process, but the draft regulation is weaker than the federal regulation in several respects. As an example, Bryant pointed out Alberta’s regulations which limit venting volumes, where the federal regulations prohibit venting. Pembina has argued Alberta’s methane emissions data is neither credible.

Canadian carbon what? - Canada’s parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development has begun studying the country’s industrial carbon system. The committee welcomed witnesses on the system earlier in the week, including from the citizen advocacy group the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, think tank Pembina Institute, and natural resources advocacy group Resource Works Society to provide testimony on the federal system. Last December, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin also appeared before the committee.

The US EPA published on Friday the highly anticipated final version of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) Set 2 regulations, including higher volume requirements for 2026 and 2027.

ICE Futures Europe will launch next month new futures and options contracts for the mandatory Phase 2 of UN aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA, it announced on Friday.

Maritime markets – Aurora Hydrogen, a Canadian clean hydrogen technology company, and Oldendorff Overseas Investments, the investment platform of Germany’s Reederei NORD Group, announced a $3 mln investment and strategic alliance focused on maritime decarbonisation, it was announced this week. The funding will support commercialisation of Aurora’s microwave-driven methane pyrolysis technology and includes a long-term commitment from OOI to buy Aurora units for shipping and logistics operations. The companies said the deal creates a commercial pathway to deploy Aurora’s hydrogen systems across ports and maritime markets, especially in Europe. Aurora has secured $14 mln from investors including OOI, EIC Rose Rock, Energy Innovation Capital, Williams, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Shell Ventures, alongside roughly $10 mln in Canadian public funding and grants.

Nuclear nexus - The US House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday advanced the US-European Nuclear Energy Cooperation Act (HR 2504) in a 43-3 bipartisan vote, aiming to strengthen collaboration between the US and Europe on nuclear energy development, E&E News reported. Introduced by Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA), the bill seeks to counter Russia’s influence in the sector, including its actions involving nuclear facilities during the war in Ukraine, by bolstering allied capacity, supply chains, and standards. The panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), said the measure would help curb Moscow’s role in the global nuclear market, as lawmakers framed the legislation as part of broader geopolitical and energy security efforts.

Climate risk is not being priced at the firm level in Canadian corporate bond markets, an investor advocacy group said, pointing to research showing emissions have little impact on borrowing costs.

Canada committed nearly C$30 million ($21.6 mln) to carbon capture, storage, and utilisation (CCUS) and renewable energy projects on Friday.

Biochar is already technologically ready for large-scale carbon removal (CDR) deployment but remains constrained by limited demand and underdeveloped application markets, according to a global report released Friday.

Uncertain times - Growing uncertainty driven by US President Donald Trump's chaotic policymaking and abrupt decision to attack Iran could end up blocking future investments and economic growth, said energy executives at industry conference CeraWeek in Houston this week. If the war lasts another three months then "people will really start changing their decision-making processes in a big way as we move towards a recession", said Lawrence Coben, CEO of power producer NRG. The event was dominated by discussions of the war and its impact on the global economy and energy industry. Executives fear the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could have a lasting impact on the oil and gas sector, and would like a more consistent policy approach to reinforce investment. The combination of policy changes plus geopolitical instability of war creates a level of uncertainty “rarely seen in history”, said Christopher Guith, senior vice-president at the Global Energy Institute, part of the US Chamber of Commerce. (FT)

Carbon markets, widely promoted as a scalable means of financing biodiversity conservation, are structurally ill-suited to deliver durable ecological outcomes and should be treated as a supplementary rather than central solution, according to a new analysis.

Carbon market researchers have raised concerns that proposed revisions to Washington state’s forestry offset protocol risk failing to ensure the environmental integrity of credits issued under the scheme.

New Zealand has denied claims it is in discussions with Paraguay to purchase Article 6 credits to meet its climate targets, and says it is rather supporting the country through capacity engagement programmes.

Carbon tax policies can effectively drive emissions reductions across supply chains, but may simultaneously erode profitability and weaken incentives for deeper decarbonisation in markets dominated by complementary products, according to new academic research.

A national jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme covering at least 480,000 hectares, with expansion potential to 3 million, is on the verge of being officially launched by the Paraguay government, which has told Carbon Pulse that its main target market is the international aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA and other international markets.