Latin American governments are backing large-scale CO2 reduction activities as a sustainable development strategy, scoring several high-profile wins last week, while the voluntary market (VCM) for CO2 removals (CDR) reeled from the announcement of mega CDR buyer Microsoft halting purchases.

Moving ahead - Dib v. Apple is proceeding on a revised briefing schedule after a short-lived mediation referral did not result in a settlement. The case was released from the court’s mediation programme on Apr. 7, indicating no resolution at that stage. Subsequent filings show procedural activity continuing, including a disclosure statement from Apple on Apr. 8 and a request by appellants for more time to file their opening brief. The court granted that request on Apr. 9, setting a revised briefing schedule with the opening brief due July 15, the answering brief due Aug. 14, and an optional reply brief due 21 days after service of the answering brief.

Foreign plaintiffs could use a long-standing US human rights statute to bring claims against companies involved in harmful carbon offset projects, despite recent court rulings narrowing its scope, a recently-published legal analysis argued.

ICR opens new consultation - Reykjavik-based International Carbon Registry (ICR) has launched a public consultation on a new methodology for on-site GHG measurements in sustainable land management projects, developed by project developer Carbon Real. Feedback is open from Apr. 8 to May 8 as part of efforts to standardise emissions quantification and monitoring, the registry said in a LinkedIn post last week.

REDD+ tender opens in Madagascar - US-based non-profit Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has launched a call for tenders for technical advisory services on REDD+ revalidation and verification in Madagascar. The work will focus on monitoring and evaluation, including assessing project performance and supporting climate and conservation outcomes, according to a procurement notice published Apr. 9.

Protocol overhaul - The Climate Action Reserve (CAR) has proposed a new modular protocol structure splitting overarching requirements into a Common Protocol and jurisdiction-specific modules, it said on its website last week. The proposed change aims to streamline updates and support expansion across regions. The changes also introduce technical guidance modules where needed, with public comments on draft Program Manual updates open until Apr. 27.

A Dutch carbon project developer saw forward sales more than double in Q1 2026, reaching around €4.5 million after signing nearly €2.5 mln in new contracts, according to its latest quarterly update.

Input needed - Bangladesh and Japan have opened a public consultation on a proposed methodology to cut methane emissions from rice paddies in Bogura and Joypurhat districts under the Joint Crediting Mechanism. Stakeholders are invited to submit feedback until Apr. 22 after the submission passed an initial completeness check.

Seed round - Japan-based forest asset manager ForestFolks has raised a seed funding round to develop a digital platform aimed at supporting forest valuation and carbon credit generation, though the funding amount was not disclosed. The round included backing from Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Sparkle, taliki, S-Innovation, and angel investors, with proceeds to support development of its Forester Earth digital forest management platform and pilot projects with municipalities and regional firms.

A reported pause to Microsoft's carbon removal (CDR) purchasing programme exposes a major demand challenge for the nascent technology-based market, but also represents a "bittersweet" opportunity for the sector to mature, project developers and experts told Carbon Pulse.

Eight companies have applied for investment aid to develop biogenic carbon capture projects under a Finnish government scheme with a €90 million budget aimed at scaling early-stage carbon capture capacity.

First step - South Korea has issued a tender to conduct a preliminary feasibility study on the potential of REDD+ projects in Guatemala, with a budget of around 201 mln won ($135,100), according to a notice. The bid deadline has been set at Apr. 22, the notice showed. South Korea aims to accelerate overseas development assistance programmes with countries in Latin America, such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, to share its expertise in forest restoration. Government agency Korean Forest Service (KFS) has also said it will explore opportunities to expand its REDD projects beyond Asia.      

A big-four consultation firm has been the first to agree to purchase carbon credits from a novel group of Australian environmental plantings projects seeking to help restore koala populations in New South Wales.