The next decade of carbon removal (CDR) will be driven primarily by policy as the market shifts away from voluntary offtakes, according to an environmental markets analysis firm.

A US university has dropped its carbon neutrality claim after using carbon offsets to meet its 2024 target, shifting spending toward on-campus emissions reductions aligned with a 2050 net zero goal.

Two companies focused on carbon projects in Latin America announced on Tuesday a merger that has resulted in a new vehicle dedicated to scaling forest restoration and nature-based carbon removals (CDR) across the Americas.

Carbon removals and avoided emissions projects are showing similar trends to renewable energy projects in their nascency, a panel of financiers said on the first day of the North American Carbon World (NACW) 2026 conference.

Canada carbon cash – The government of the Northwest Territories has opened applications for funding to support projects aimed at cutting GHG emissions and displacing fossil fuel use across the territory, it announced on Tuesday Backed by the federal government via the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund (LCELF), the programme will support organisations delivering energy projects such as retrofits, biomass heating systems, fuel switching, methane capture, and EV charging infrastructure. Eligible applicants include Indigenous and community governments, public agencies, and other partners, with funding covering 25-75% of costs for projects, which must have minimum total costs above C$100,000 ($71,866). Applications will run from Apr. 1, 2026 to Mar. 31, 2027 with quarterly assessments.

Carbon neutral mining – Soma Gold has renewed carbon neutrality certification for its Colombian subsidiary for a second consecutive year, covering emissions from its latest reporting period, the company announced on Tuesday. It said Operadora Minera SAS retained certification under the PAS 2060:2014 standard, with verification by Bureau Veritas – BVQI Colombia Ltd. Soma reported emissions of 1,367 tCO2e for 2024, all of which were offset using credits from the Galilea Ame forest conservation project on the Biocarbon Registry. Operadora remains the only mining company in Colombia to hold the certification, the company said.

EOR repeal – California Representative Ro Khanna (D) and Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley (D) on Monday reintroduced proposed legislation to end a US tax break for the use of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The End Polluter Welfare for Enhanced Oil Recovery Act would scrap incentives expanded in 2022 that allow oil producers to claim subsidies for injecting CO2 to boost extraction, part of an estimated $34.8 bln in annual fossil fuel support. Lawmakers and advocacy groups said the measure targets subsidies that boost fossil fuel company profits without lowering fuel prices, with analysts adding the incentives can make otherwise uneconomic oil extraction viable.

Hear me out – In a hearing on Monday, Vermont urged a federal judge to dismiss lawsuits challenging its 2024 climate superfund law, arguing the state has authority to raise revenue and address environmental harm. Opponents, including the US Department of Justice, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the American Petroleum Institute, contended the law unlawfully targets out-of-state fossil fuel producers and conflicts with federal authority. The law, the first of its kind in the US, seeks to fund climate adaptation projects following severe flooding and other extreme weather, but critics argue it attempts to regulate global emissions without a direct causal link to in-state damages. Two dozen states have intervened against Vermont, while environmental groups support the measure, and the judge has taken the motions under advisement with a ruling expected as soon as possible.

Register your interest – Remove, a carbon removal (CDR) accelerator, said on Tuesday it plans to expand its support for CDR startups into Latin America, with backing from Milkywire’s Climate Transformation Fund. The organisation said the move is intended to support local innovation, ecosystem growth, and broader CDR market development in the region. Remove is inviting CDR startups in Latin America to register interest in its accelerator programme ahead of the application launch, with further details expected in the coming months.

Subpoena standoff – The US House Energy and Commerce Committee issued a subpoena on Monday to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) over its compliance with the Clean Air Act after Congress nullified key vehicle emissions rules in 2025, alleging the agency continued to condition automaker approvals on regulations that had been voided. The move follows months of disputed document production and missed deadlines, with the committee arguing ARB withheld relevant materials and refused interviews, while the agency cited privilege claims the committee rejects as inapplicable to congressional oversight.

Heating shift – FortisBC Energy has financially supported energy-efficiency upgrades to a heating system at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), aimed at reducing fuel use and emissions at the transport hub, it was announced on Tuesday. The airport said the project comprises high-efficiency equipment and a shift to designated Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) for terminal heating. The upgrades are expected to cut natural gas consumption by more than 12,000 gigajoules annually and reduce emissions by around 700 tonnes of CO2e. The measures will support the airport’s net zero by 2030 target.

Sales dip – Brazil-based low-carbon fertiliser firm Verde AgriTech reported lower 2025 revenue and sales volumes as tight agricultural credit conditions in Brazil weighed on demand. Revenue fell to around C$16.6 mln (USD$ 4.7 mln) from C$21.6 mln in 2024, with net loss narrowing to roughly C$11.7 mln, while the company maintained margins of about 72% and cut expected credit losses, according to its Q4 & FY 2025 earnings results. Verde AgriTech produces a potassium-based fertiliser from silicate rock that captures CO2 in soils via enhanced rock weathering (ERW).

A UK-based asset manager has agreed to acquire a majority stake in a US forestry investment firm, forming one of the world’s largest timberland investment managers with around $8 billion in assets, it was announced this week.

A carbon exchange that claims to be mopping up Clean Development Mechanism trade before the UN body closes, has slashed its fees, and announced it will be opening up for an fresh investment round.

Offset project financier Carbon Streaming Corp. on Monday reported sharply reduced losses for 2025 and signalled a continued shift towards portfolio optimisation and asset sales, as the company seeks to stabilise its balance sheet following a turbulent period marked by project setbacks and legal disputes.

After years with only one eligible supply source, credits approved for CORSIA use in its current phase have begun to steadily flow onto the market, reaching above 30 million earlier this year, but in light of an escalating war in the Middle East that has disrupted international air travel and jet fuel flows, as well as a lack of legislated penalties for non-compliance, some participants are now questioning whether the global aviation offsetting scheme has a growing demand problem.

A new draft corporate climate framework, put forward for consultation by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, could signal a major shift in how companies disclose climate action, separating inventory reporting from how carbon credit use is communicated.

California state regulators have withdrawn from a major carbon markets conference in San Diego at short notice, Carbon Pulse has learned, raising questions among market participants about the reasons behind the move and the agency’s current posture on engagement with stakeholders.

A project developer has said assisted natural regeneration (ANR) can deliver significantly stronger permanence than traditional reforestation, positioning the approach as a high-integrity option in carbon markets.

Global muster  – Forty-five countries have already signed up to attend a conference in Santa Marta, Colombia in April to launch a coalition to transition away from fossil fuels, the Colombian government said in a press release on Monday. Building on calls at COP30 in Belem for a roadmap for the shift to cleaner fuels, the attendees for the Apr. 24-29 event represent around 20% of global fossil fuel production and nearly a third of consumption. Participants will include Australia, Brazil, Canada, Fiji, Germany, Jamaica, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Tuvalu, the UK, and Vanuatu, among others. As well, the COP30 and COP31 presidencies will participate, as will the European Commission.

Nodal Exchange has launched the first financially-settled futures and options contracts tied to California Carbon Allowances (CCAs), marking a further expansion of derivatives offerings in North America’s largest compliance carbon market.

Colombia’s reported emissions reductions from deforestation for 2018-22 are broadly consistent with UN climate rules, but methodological shortcomings risk overstating results, according to a UN technical review published Monday.