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 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.

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.

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.

Indonesia saw 66% more deforestation last year than in 2024, according to a Javan non-profit that links the spike to the government’s push to convert 20 million hectares of forest into agricultural land.

Making progress - Malaysia has endorsed nine forest conservation projects under its Forest Conservation Certificate (FCC) programme, with plans to raise about MYR 30.2 mln ($7.4 mln) to support reforestation, river rehabilitation, and forest protection efforts across several states. The projects, selected from 29 applications, are part of efforts to address a wider MYR 1.4 bln funding gap in conservation financing, officials said. The FCC functions as a performance-based, non-market mechanism that channels private sector funding into verified conservation initiatives, while allowing companies to meet sustainability goals and benefit from tax incentives.

The Union of Comoros has submitted its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions 57% by 2035 compared with business-as-usual (BAU), using international carbon market finance to help meet the goal.

Working with farmers - Japanese project developer Green Carbon has concluded a demonstration on the application of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technique in paddy fields in collaboration with farmers and domestic universities. The company said it aims to develop a new J-Credit methodology based on the results, which showed a higher methane emission reduction effect under the condition of implementing AWD after mid-season drainage. The developer recently also launched a support programme for dairy farmers to decarbonise manure management and create carbon credits based on a J-Credit methodology (AG-002).

Nine EU countries have urged Brussels to overhaul how forests are treated in the bloc’s post-2030 climate policy, warning that rigid carbon sink targets risk penalising active forest management, which includes thinning and selective harvesting to improve forest resilience.

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.

The Papua New Guinea government has approved the first carbon project in the country aligned with its new market system, it said.