Presenting Carbon Pulse’s free CP Daily newsletter. Sign up here
TOP STORY
Leaked EU ETS benchmarks show softening for chemicals and refinery, no reduction for ‘fallback’ values
A leaked draft of benchmark values that determine how many free allowances industries receive under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) suggests softer cuts for certain sectors, such as some chemicals and refinery products, but retains a steep reduction for the ‘fallback’ benchmarks, which analysts say could be bullish for EUA prices.
DAILY NEWS TICKER
CP Daily News Ticker: 2 April 2026
The CP Daily News Ticker is a running list of all our news updated in real-time throughout the day. This is also the home to our ‘Bite-sized updates from around the world’, which previously featured in our CP Daily newsletter.
NACW26
BRIEFING: Super pollutant projects poised to meet buyer demand
Projects mitigating super pollutant emissions are capable of scaling up widely across a number of sectors, offering a ready supply for corporate buyers, according to conference attendees at North American Carbon World 2026.
BRIEFING: VCM building quality infrastructure, but buyer behaviour still undermining integrity -panel
The voluntary carbon market is building the data and governance infrastructure needed to reward high-quality projects, but buyers and developers continue to rely on weak disclosure and simplistic procurement strategies that risk undermining progress, experts said this week.
Registry expects to release updated biochar protocol in coming weeks
A climate registry director said the update to its biochar protocol could be published as early as May, conference attendees heard on the final day of North American Carbon World (NACW) 2026.
Scope 3 data, measurement slog is about fostering future mitigation -panellists
Companies facing increasing pressure to track and disclose their Scope 3 emissions shouldn’t lose sight of mitigation as their ultimate goal, attendees of the North American Carbon World (NACW) 2026 conference heard.
EMEA
FEATURE: Proposed EU Market Stability Reserve reform exposes wider ETS governance dilemma
A European Commission proposal to tweak the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) – widely seen as a minimalist, targeted amendment – could expose a broader governance problem with the supply‑balancing tool, experts say, as pressure builds ahead of a scheduled review of the bloc’s compliance carbon market in July.
Exchange publishes first quarterly EU CBAM reference price at €75.36
A European exchange has published its first quarterly reference price for certificates used in the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
Euro Markets: EUAs slide 4% to end week unchanged as traders cut risk ahead of long weekend
EU carbon prices ended the holiday-shortened week unchanged after a 4% drop in Thursday driven by selling after the market failed to conclusively breach a technical resistance level, as well as traders offloading risk ahead of a long weekend with energy markets climbing as the US president vowed to hit Iran “very hard” in the coming two weeks.
FEATURE: Africa looks to build a ‘mother registry’ for rising national carbon markets
African governments are coalescing around the idea of a continent-wide “mother registry” to link national carbon markets, but friction is emerging with major independent standards over who ultimately control the countries’ carbon credits and market infrastructure.
Africa carbon markets could top $100 bln by 2030 under sovereign systems -report
The research arm of a renewable energy company has outlined an expansive vision for scaling African carbon markets into a $100 billion-plus opportunity by the end of the decade, centred on sovereign control of natural capital and the deployment of digital infrastructure to underpin credit generation and trading.
Policy credibility key to taming speculation on EU ETS, researchers show
As the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) enters a sensitive revision phase, researchers have modelled how speculative price swings on the bloc’s carbon market are closely tied to wider policy sentiment and political declarations.
UK emissions slipped in 2025, mostly thanks to blast furnace closures
UK greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have slipped by 2% year-on-year in 2025 – due largely to industrial reductions – and reached less than half the level in 1990, according to government statistics published on Thursday.
UK Conservatives pledge to “axe the carbon tax” if elected
The UK Conservative party has pledged to kill the country’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) if it comes to power, in a campaign launched on Thursday.
Ethiopia sets rules for forest carbon trading, opening new credit supply
Ethiopia has established a legal framework for forest carbon trading, laying out rules for the generation, verification, and transfer of credits from conservation and reforestation activities, according to local media reports.
Kenya forest carbon stocks mask structural degradation as dense cover shrinks -study
Stable forest carbon stocks and above-ground biomass may conceal underlying degradation as biomass shifts away from dense forest, weakening long-term sequestration potential, a new study said.
Five EU states demand rapid overhaul of green hydrogen rules
Five governments have urged the European Commission to loosen the bloc’s strict green hydrogen production rules, warning that the current framework is stalling investment and undermines wider climate and industrial goals.
Swiss sensor manufacturer secures multi-pathway CDR portfolio through 2028
A Swiss sensor manufacturer has partnered with a carbon removal (CDR) procurement platform to secure a portfolio of durable credits across three pathways, the companies announced Thursday.
French municipality seeks private partner for €13.7 mln biochar plant
A local authority in southern France has launched a €13.7 million tender for a long-term biochar production facility, signalling growing municipal interest in carbon removal-linked waste management solutions.
Beavers can turn headwater streams into sizeable, persistent carbon sinks -study
Reintroduced beaver populations across Europe are materially reshaping carbon dynamics in river systems, with new research finding that dam-building activity can convert headwater stream corridors into significant and durable carbon sinks.
AMERICAS
WCI Markets: CCAs dip to multi-month lows
California Carbon Allowances (CCA) have dipped to multiple month lows below $29 over the past week as uncertainty continues to plague the market on multiple fronts.
Allowances on offer at Q2 Washington auction drop over 7% to record low
The Q2 sale for Washington’s cap-and-invest programme will offer 7.5% fewer allowances than the previous quarterly sale, representing another record low, according to a notice published Friday.
California-based WCI accounts dip in Q1
Total California-registered accounts under the state’s Quebec-linked compliance carbon market dipped below 820 in Q1, state data published this week showed.
INTERVIEW: Brazilian developer debuts in ERW methodology, expanding CDR portfolio
A Brazilian developer well known for its reforestation projects has generated its first carbon credits for enhanced rock weathering (ERW) in agriculture, marking a step in diversifying its carbon removal (CDR) portfolio.
Brazil requires banks to screen loan applicants for deforestation
Brazil has adopted a regulation requiring financial institutions to use deforestation data to screen rural loan applicants before granting credit.
Canadian low-carbon cement project secures $10 mln asset-backed financing
A Calgary-based startup secured up to $10 million in asset-backed financing to advance its first commercial cement project and support scale-up of low-carbon materials, according to its Thursday announcement.
ASIA PACIFIC
BRIEFING: Middle East war, incoming economic downturn to shape upcoming Safeguard Mechanism review
The war in the Middle East and the subsequent energy crisis could be used as an excuse by Safeguard facilities to push for more lenient treatment, however, it is too early to say how this would play out, according to experts.
BRIEFING: Pressure mounts on NZ govt to rethink LNG import terminal plan
As the shortfall of oil and gas due to the war in the Middle East continues to push up fuel prices globally, a decision by New Zealand’s government in February to pursue the construction of a new LNG import terminal is coming under growing pressure.
Indonesia to deepen energy cooperation with Japan, South Korea
Indonesia has agreed to deepen cooperation on energy sectors with Japan and South Korea, respectively, during the president’s visits to East Asia this week.
Taiwan environment ministry approves first CCS project
Taiwan’s environment ministry has approved the island’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, as part of a broader national climate strategy.
Singapore backs low-carbon pilots with $250 mln fund
Singapore has launched a S$250 million ($194 mln) programme to speed up the deployment of low-carbon technologies in its power and industrial sectors, it announced this week.
BRIEFING: Vietnam issues rules for Article 6 carbon trading, caps exports
Vietnam this week issued a decree setting out detailed rules for carbon trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, setting caps on exports and clarifying government oversight.
CN Markets: CEA liquidity continues to fall as traders sit on the fence
Liquidity in China’s national emissions market continued to fall over the past week despite the planned injection of new permits into the market, as traders remain hesitant in the absence of policy updates.
AVIATION
Demand for CORSIA futures starts to show in pick up in deliveries, says exchange
Deliveries of CORSIA credits ticked higher in March, the ICE exchange said, ahead of launching new contracts for hedging exposure to the market later this month.
VOLUNTARY
ANALYSIS: Cookstove projects face tougher standards, more competition in race to sell carbon credits
The clean cookstove sector is rapidly transforming from a voluntary model to a high-integrity, data-driven carbon market that will satisfy the compliance stipulations for international trade in UN markets, experts and industry participants have said.
Temporary removals fall almost 10 times short of covering the world’s biogenic emissions -report
Biogenic emissions from sources such as farming and deforestation emit more than nine times what temporary removals currently store, according to a new report, which noted the EU policy gap in addressing the issue.
Carbon removal market volumes surge in March as biochar deals drive record offtakes
The global carbon removal (CDR) market closed the first quarter of 2026 with a sharp uptick in activity, as March saw significant growth across offtake agreements, credit issuance, and retirements, according to new data.
New CDR portfolio aims to simplify corporate buying for 2030 net zero targets
A new carbon removal (CDR) portfolio launched on Thursday aims to simplify how companies source credits for 2030 net zero targets by combining multiple high-durability pathways into a single offering.
Gigatonne-scale DACCS deployment unlikely without major subsidies, stronger policy -preprint
Direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) is unlikely to reach gigatonne-scale deployment by mid-century without sustained, high public subsidies and stronger climate policy, a recently published preprint found.
Carbon insurance specialist teams up with modeller to improve risk pricing
A carbon market insurer has teamed up with a modeller to strengthen how physical climate risk is incorporated into its underwriting, it announced Thursday.
Study proposes dynamic carbon accounting method to replace GWP in offset markets
A new academic proposal to overhaul how carbon markets value non-CO2 emissions could materially increase credit issuance for methane projects while sharpening incentives for near-term abatement, according to a study.
INTERNATIONAL
Switzerland, Thailand complete new ITMO issuances from e-bus programme
Thailand and Switzerland have completed new issuances of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) from an electric bus programme in Bangkok, the organisation mandated to procure Article 6 credits for the country announced Thursday.
WWF urges COP30 presidency to double down on commodity-driven deforestation
The WWF this week sent recommendations to the COP30 presidency on its roadmap for tackling deforestation and forest degradation, calling for greater effort to counter clearance for commodity production.
“Misbehaviour” drives majority of food waste emissions, with Global South set to dominate by 2050 -researchers
Emissions from food loss and waste (FLW) are primarily driven by consumer behaviour and structural overproduction rather than supply-chain inefficiencies, according to new research, with developing regions projected to account for the bulk of future growth.
—————————————————
EVENTS
European Climate Summit 2026: Apr. 14-16, Barcelona – To kick off its annual regional Climate Summit series, IETA looks forward to welcoming delegates to the flagship European Climate Summit (ECS) 2026, taking place at Casa Llotja de Mar in Barcelona, Spain. ECS takes place amid a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape, even as carbon markets continue to mature and expand. A new political cycle for EU climate action has begun, and the task of preparing carbon markets for their next stage presents both new challenges and opportunities. In this dynamic context, competitiveness, integrity, and innovation will be at the heart of the discussion. ECS provides an excellent opportunity to engage with policymakers, business leaders, and climate market pioneers who are shaping the future of carbon markets. Organised by IETA, ECS is an in-person event. Register
Carbon Removal Investment Summit 2026: May 13, London – The Carbon Removal Investment Summit returns to London on May 13, 2026. cCarbon’s flagship, data- and modelling-driven dialogue brings together 200+ attendees from 160+ organisations, including investors, financiers, buyers, policymakers, developers, and market leaders shaping the carbon removals market. The summit features 40+ expert speakers across 10 curated sessions, along with a private investor conclave for deeper discussions among leading capital providers. The agenda explores where capital is moving, how investment and offtake structures are evolving, and what it will take to move from early momentum to meaningful scale. Early bird rates end Mar. 31 – Register here.
—————————————————
PREMIUM JOB LISTINGS
- Environmental Markets Correspondent, Carbon Pulse – Toronto/Vancouver
- Asia-Pacific Environmental Markets Correspondent, Carbon Pulse – Remote
See all listings or post a job
—————————————————
ADVERTISE WITH US
Check out our 2026 Advertising Brochure & Media Pack, featuring updated offerings and prices. Bookings are open! The pack presents an overview of our content, products, and readership, as well as full details of our website and newsletter advertising opportunities.
Got a tip? How about some feedback? Email us at [email protected]
