Go to the MATS-tresses – Health and environment advocacy groups filed a petition on Monday in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit against the EPA's decision to repeal mercury air emissions regulations regarding some coal-fired power plants. The federal rule, filed on Feb. 24, repealed regulations from the Biden administration restricting hazardous air pollutant emissions from power plants, known as the 2024 Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS). The 20 non-profit petitioners include the Clean Air Council, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Conservation Law Foundation.

CDR conference call – The Government of Canada has scheduled an Offeror’s Conference on Apr. 17 as part of its carbon removal credits Request for Standing Offer, providing companies with an opportunity to seek clarification on the procurement process ahead of submitting bids. Interested participants must register by Apr. 10 by contacting the government via email.

Coal(ed) War – The US Department of War, formerly the Department of Defense, posted a request for coal-based power purchase agreements (PPAs) to fuel military installations, E&E News reported on Monday, as directed by US President Donald Trump. The request, active through May 15, follows a push by the Trump administration to boost demand for coal-fired power in the US. The request for proposals seeks US-owned assets that are connected to the grid for a PPA of up to 10 years.

Blue Cercarbono – Standard body Cercarbono published its blue carbon methodology for restoration and revegetation of coastal wetlands, it announced Monday in a LinkedIn post. CM-LUCW-001 covers reduced and removed emissions from mangroves, tidal marshes, and seagrass meadows, and shifts focus on planting-based interventions to broader ecological functions, such as rewetting and storage of soil organic carbon, the standard said. The methodology, which was published for consultation last December, is designed to support Article 6 traceability and to be compatible with Cercarbono's REDD+ framework.

Energy supply security remains exposed to a small number of routes, where physical blockages and 'paper chokepoints' such as insurance withdrawal can rapidly tighten markets and risk amplifying fossil-based vulnerabilities, concluded new analysis.

Major oil and gas and mining companies are prioritising operational emissions reductions while providing limited clarity on capital allocation and production shifts, according to new data covering companies worth more than $2.8 trillion.

Leather imported to the EU from Brazil and Paraguay continues to be tied to forest clearance, a non-profit has said as the European Commission gears up to review the commodities covered by its anti-deforestation law.

None of the world’s major steelmakers are currently ready to transition to near-zero-emissions production, with fresh investments in coal-based blast furnaces and minimal progress on “green iron” leaving the sector far off a Paris-aligned pathway, according to a new assessment released Tuesday.

RGGI Allowance (RGA) futures increased more than 6% over the previous week, approaching historic levels seen late last year above the $29 mark.

Biochar rebranding – The US Biochar Initiative said it has rebranded as the American Biochar Institute as part of a strategic shift to support industry growth. It will prioritise developing standards and markets for biochar while positioning itself as an independent, long-term resource for the sector. The group said it will continue convening stakeholders, including at its North American Biochar Conference in New Orleans on Nov. 16-18, 2026. It will focus market development on boosting demand for physical biochar across applications such as soil, fertilisers, construction, and urban infrastructure.

Over the past week, developments across Latin America showed forest-based carbon supply being channelled into different market pathways, with countries diverging on whether credits are exported, retained for domestic compliance, or supplied to voluntary markets.

Track the latest auction, emissions, and allocation data for the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and Washington (WA) carbon markets.

The Italian government has decided to postpone the closure of the country's remaining coal power plants to 2038, 13 years after their scheduled phaseout, citing the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East. 

Expected proposals to reform the supply-balancing reserve in the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS), and updates to benchmarks determining free permit allocations for industrials, are not likely to have a major impact on carbon market prices in the bloc, analysts have said, as Brussels scrambles to find solutions to ease soaring energy costs and protect European industry.

More than a dozen EU countries urged the European Commission to exempt fertilisers from the bloc's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) during Monday's agriculture ministerial meeting in Brussels.

The global energy shock is bolstering the business and security case for renewables and electrification even more than previous crises – yet there is still concern that some politicians will double down on speedier fossil fuel alternatives to quell higher costs of living.

European carbon prices advanced on Monday as a second strong auction in a row triggered a brief flurry of buying that drove the market to its highest in two and a half weeks, before levels retreated slightly in the afternoon, as traders anticipated details of changes to the EU ETS supply management mechanism due to be published on Wednesday.

CORSIA prices ticked higher last week, reflecting the market having found a wide trading range either side of $13, and there were signs that airlines are now readying to retire for compliance.

Climate Impact X (CIX) will cease publishing price assessments for older vintage forestry and cookstove projects in the voluntary carbon market, the Singapore-based exchange said Monday. 

Swedish BECCS - Sweden-based energy firm Stockholm Exergi plans to allocate around 185k tonnes of permanent carbon removals annually from its bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) operations to neutralise residual emissions across its value chain, according to its latest annual report. The company is also exploring CCS at its waste-to-energy plants in Hogdalen and Brista, with feasibility studies underway and potential CO2 capture starting around 2033 and 2035 respectively, with combined permanent storage of around 710k tonnes of biogenic CO2, according to the company's annual report. Stockholm Exergi targets net zero across its value chain by 2035, relying on both emissions reductions and permanent removals.

Canada housing emissions - Research published on Monday by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) warned that improving energy efficiency is critical to addressing Canada’s housing affordability and emissions challenges. The paper by Pierre-Olivier Pineau argued that underused residential space, weak regulations, and slow uptake of existing technologies are undermining both cost and decarbonisation goals. He said that while residential emissions have declined since 2005, rising population and larger homes have driven higher energy use, offsetting efficiency gains. Pineau set out seven recommendations to place energy efficiency at the centre of housing policy, adding that the current “build more” mantra ignores underused housing space, weak energy rules, and the failure to deploy available technologies.

Biochar methane emissions - Flame curtain pyrolysis in kon-tiki kilns used to produce biochar emits less methane and carbon monoxide than open burning of crop residues, a study by European researchers published in GCB Bioenergy found. Methane emissions were around 2.6 grammes per kilogramme of feedstock, compared to more than 4.4 g/kg for open burning, and rose more than tenfold when moisture exceeded 25%. Higher flue gas temperatures were linked to lower methane output, while the process produced around 200 kg of biochar per tonne of straw, enabling more than 500 kg of CO2e removal when applied to soils, the analysis said.

A new soil porewater extraction technique could improve the accuracy and consistency of carbon removal estimates from enhanced rock weathering (ERW), according to a recent study.

Mazda NZ drops green claim - Mazda New Zealand has removed a claim from its website that planting five trees per vehicle would “mitigate any environmental impact from CO2 emissions” over a five-year warranty period, following a complaint filed earlier this month by Lawyers for Climate Action NZ. The Advertising Standards Authority accepted the complaint, but closed the case as settled after Mazda New Zealand withdrew the statement tied to its partnership with Trees That Count.

Japan forest deal - Japan-based automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation has signed an agreement to purchase locally generated Forest J-Credits from Tenryu Forester, marking the first issuance of such credits from Japan’s Hamamatsu region, the company said last week. The credits were created through forest management activities in the Tenryu area, historically known for timber production but facing pressure from imports and demographic decline. Suzuki said the deal supports conservation of local forests while contributing to its goal of achieving carbon neutrality across its domestic operations by FY2035, with plans to expand use of locally generated credits.

Ghana mangrove push - Ghana’s Forestry Commission and US-based developer Terraformation will collaborate to scale forest restoration projects aimed at boosting climate resilience, jobs, and local livelihoods, the organisations announced last week. The collaboration builds on a large mangrove restoration effort at Keta Lagoon in the Volta Region, where more than 3.2 mln trees have already been planted and hundreds of jobs created, many held by women. A second phase is set to launch later this year with additional planting and employment expected, while the broader programme aims to expand restoration across the country and link carbon revenues to community development, they said.

A global fast fashion retailer has received its first deliveries of permanent carbon removals (CDR) in 2025 and is preparing to source jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD+) credits, according to its latest sustainability report.

An investor coalition has urged the Australian government to accelerate policy reforms to unlock capital for the energy transition, warning that a shortage of investable projects is now the single biggest barrier to progress.

Two tech companies and a consultancy have collectively committed to purchase over 130,000 nature-based carbon removal credits from a US-based reforestation project.

Carbon capture capacity globally that begun operating or construction over the last year was over 10% higher than the preceding one, while storage capacity increased by around 25%, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest update.

Chemical woes - Ineos's flagship Project One plant in Antwerp is facing potential further delays due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which risks leaving its two final modules stranded in the Gulf. The plant was due to be completed by year-end and is expected to cost and emit far less than other existing ethylene plants in Europe. The difficulty adds to Ineos's challenges including debt exceeding €15 bln. Meanwhile, Germany's largest chemicals companies including BASF are increasing prices on the back of higher energy prices driven by the Gulf conflict. BASF is reportedly set to hike European prices for standard amines by about 30% and Lanxess is raising the cost of some materials by 50%. Other groups including Wacker Chemie, Covestro, and Evonik have either raised prices for building block chemicals, preservatives, and polymers, or told customers they intend to do so, since the war began. However, some companies may get a short-term competitiveness boost over Asian peers that depend more on the Gulf for raw materials. The difficult conditions are also driving European producers to invest in other regions, such as BASF that opened a new plant in China last week. The IGBCE chemicals and energy union has warned Germany could suffer 'chaotic de-industrialisation' without support for the chemicals sector. (FT)  

A jurisdictional REDD+ (JREDD+) programme in Colombia has completed its public consultation period, bringing it closer to issuing (Core Carbon Principles) CCP-eligible voluntary carbon credits, the project developer said last week.

US airlines could face a hefty bill for 2024 emissions under the CORSIA international aviation offsetting scheme, but it remains uncertain whether their participation will be enforced, according to a new analysis.

EU member states on Monday signed off on a tweak to the bloc's CO2 standards for heavy-duty vehicles, giving manufacturers extra leeway to bank emission credits ahead of a major tightening of climate rules in 2030.

Macao International Carbon Emission Exchange (MEX) has partnered with an environmental company to promote the international trade of Brazilian biodiversity credits, in a move that further signals its interest in this emerging market.

Integrity premiums are emerging in Australia’s carbon market, with higher-quality credits commanding sustained price differences, while project-level risks remain uneven, a recent analysis has found.

An Australian oil and gas producer has withdrawn plans for a large carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, it said on Monday.

EU-UK electricity market linkage – EU member states on Monday gave the European Commission a mandate to negotiate an electricity agreement with the UK that would reintegrate Britain into the bloc’s internal power market and introduce “dynamic alignment” with EU rules. The deal would cover both wholesale and retail electricity trading, with UK laws expected to track evolving EU legislation to maintain a level playing field. Brussels says closer power market integration will boost trading efficiency, support investment in cross-border and renewable infrastructure, and strengthen energy security amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Carbon rating agencies are split on whether they fall in scope under upcoming EU rules on ESG rating activities, which could potentially help unlock more bank finance for the sector and reduce risk of integrating credits in compliance schemes, stakeholders told Carbon Pulse.

A €6 billion Italian scheme for renewable hydrogen production for the transport and industrial sectors was approved by the European Commission under the bloc's state aid rules on Monday. 

Oil price rises will channel a €24 billion windfall from European drivers to the pockets of fossil fuel majors by the end of the year, according to an analysis calling on the EU to tax these conflict-generated super profits.

A group of scientists have called for tougher action on methane emissions, including better monitoring and reporting, and for more countries to include methane reduction plans within their legally binding climate targets. 

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called into question Germany’s legally-agreed timetable to phase out coal by 2038, suggesting to newspaper FAZ that it may be “unrealistic” given the current energy crisis.

A new book published Monday examines a landmark climate case against German energy company RWE, which may have set a precedent for holding major emitters legally liable for their contribution to climate damage.

Sub-Saharan Africa saw a surge in Article 6 activity in March, with multiple countries accelerating bilateral carbon market deals and project authorisations, particularly with Switzerland.

A new guide that aims to help governments safely test emerging carbon market approaches has launched, as policymakers face growing pressure to unlock climate finance while maintaining market integrity.

The European Commission's proposal to boost the "firepower" of the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) in the EU ETS will not tweak the supply-control mechanism's intake rate or volume thresholds, and will instead centre around the cancellation of an invalidation clause for excess allowances, Bloomberg reported Monday.

Greenlighted - Japan's environment ministry has selected three feasibility studies that evaluate project development potential under the Joint Crediting Mechanism, the regulator said Monday. Those proposals include assessments for a wastewater treatment facility in Indonesia, a heating system in Kyrgyzstan, and a steam management system in India. Conclusion of contracts for those feasibility studies is conditional upon the approval of the FY2026 budget.

Low carbon prices and the government’s lack of understanding of market dynamics has created an uncertain atmosphere in New Zealand’s ETS, according to a forestry leader, saying participants will likely need to hunker down until there's a change in government.

Have a rethink - Greenpeace has urged the South Korean government to redesign the national electricity plan and stop replacing retiring coal with LNG, as the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the fragility of the country's power mix. LNG prices are determined by the global market, and price shocks are passed directly to consumers, even if physical supply can be secured from the US or Australia, the non-profit said. Greenpeace called for a concrete roadmap to 100 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 to build a more resilient power system. LNG shock from the closure of Hormuz Strait could raise emissions in Asia, analysts told Carbon Pulse.

Four key themes helped move agricultural soil carbon from a nascent category to the high-integrity climate solution that it is today.

A Seoul-headquartered carbon trader and project developer has appointed a new CEO, with plans to expand its presence in the international voluntary carbon market.

Blue green - Japanese developer Green Carbon has signed an MoU with Indonesian NGO PT Pesisir Indah Lestari to collaborate on mangrove restoration and emissions reduction projects. The partnership will assess at least 1,000 ha for restoration, estimate blue carbon stocks, and project sequestration over up to 35 years. The five-year agreement will also emphasise local community engagement and sustainable development alongside biodiversity protection, the companies said.

H2 ships - Japan Engine Corporation and Kawasaki Heavy Industries said they have achieved the world’s first hydrogen-fuelled operation of a large marine engine in a factory setting. The firms, alongside Mitsui OSK Lines, are developing a hydrogen-powered vessel under a Japanese government-backed programme. They said the engine has reached over 95% hydrogen co-firing at full load, showing emissions reduction potential.

Port credits - The VOC Port Authority in India’s Tamil Nadu has began generating carbon credits from its renewable energy portfolio, targeting revenue of around $5.3 mln through the monetisation of emissions reductions, it has announced. One of India’s 13 major ports and an important gateway for the nation’s southern region, it plans to generate carbon credits by adopting sustainable practices such as renewable energy use, energy efficiency measures, and reduced fossil fuel consumption across its operations. The port has registered five renewable projects under for the generation of carbon credits, with a collective installed capacity of 12.4 MW, it said.

A Japanese startup dedicated to direct air capture (DAC) solutions has secured several new partners for its pilot projects, including a demonstration for the agriculture sector.

Australian carbon prices weakened at the end of last week as Safeguard entities wrapped up their compliance buying even as the market awaits the finalisation of key methods and future policies.

Zefiro Methane Corp. and its founder have declared separate victories in their high-stakes legal battle for control of the offset project developer.

Fuel swap - The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is investing up to A$25.3 mln ($17.3 mln) to support NewVolt in building three open-access fast-charging hubs for electric trucks across Melbourne, enabling 50–100 electric freight vehicles in the project’s first phase, it announced. The project aims to overcome key barriers to electrifying heavy freight—particularly high upfront costs and lack of charging infrastructure—while helping decarbonise one of Australia’s most emissions-intensive transport sectors. It is expected to improve energy security by reducing reliance on imported diesel and instead powering freight with locally generated renewable electricity, with the first hub due to open in late 2026, according to the agency.

Solar recycler - The Australian government has launched a tender for an operator to deliver its solar PV panel recycling scheme. The pilot aims to collect up to 250,000 panels from around 100 sites, with the government committing A$24.7 mln ($16.9 mln) over three years to go towards its operation. Canberra is touting the scheme as a critical step towards reducing solar panel waste, recovering valuable materials, and supporting Australia's clean energy transition.