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TOP STORY

UK to end its top-up carbon tax on power emissions in 2028

The UK government intends to remove the Carbon Price Support (CPS) tax on power plant emissions in two years, because it is no longer needed, a government official confirmed on Thursday.

DAILY NEWS TICKER

CP Daily News Ticker: 16 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.

EUROPEAN CLIMATE SUMMIT 2026

ETS2 prices seen peaking at €132 under proposed EU reforms

Prices on the EU’s upcoming Emissions Trading System for road transport and heating fuels, known as ETS2, are expected to see a slower rise under reform plans presented last year, with prices peaking at €132/tCO2 in 2035, according to new projections.

EU CBAM cost uncertainty and delayed rules complicate investment decisions, experts say

Gaps in cost calculations and delayed implementing rules are complicating investment and pricing decisions for companies under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), experts said on Thursday at the European Climate Summit in Barcelona.

EMEA

MSR releases after 2030 to inflict steepest price decrease in EU ETS2 -analysts

New analysis has compared several reform options for the Market Stability Reserve (MSR2) in the EU’s upcoming carbon market for road transport and heating fuels (ETS2), finding that allowing permit releases from the supply-balancing mechanism to continue beyond 2030 stands to have the most significant bearish price impact.

Euro Markets: EUAs jump to 9-week highs as UKAs surge 7.5% on surcharge cancellation

European and UK carbon allowance prices both rose to a 9-week high on Thursday after the UK announced it would discontinue its carbon surcharge for fuel combustion, with EUA prices testing a key technical level at the end of the day but failing to find enough support to extend its recent run of gains further.

EU Commission “not working on ETS for agriculture”, top official confirms

The European Commission has no plans to propose a dedicated Emissions Trading System (ETS) to curb greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector, a top official has confirmed.

EU countries urged to set tough CO2 storage penalties as 2030 climate targets loom

European governments need to introduce strict penalties for companies that fail to meet new CO2 storage requirements, a new report has argued, as policymakers race to secure enough capacity to meet the bloc’s 2030 climate goals.

Brussels clears €4.2 bln electricity rebates for EU energy‑intensive firms

The European Commission has cleared three new state aid schemes in Bulgaria, Germany and Slovenia that will temporarily shield energy‑intensive industries from high power prices, in exchange for binding decarbonisation investments aligned with the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal.

EU top court strikes down Hungary CO2 tax on free ETS allowances

The EU’s top court ruled on Thursday that Hungary cannot impose a tax on CO2 emissions from installations receiving significant free EU ETS allowances where that measure neutralises the value of those permits and undermines the bloc’s carbon market design.

Drax received nearly £1 bln in subsidies last year, as power generation hit new record

The UK’s largest power plant – the Drax biomass station – received a record of nearly £1 billion in subsidies last year, despite also being the country’s top emitter, according a think tank’s analysis.

Switzerland starts reporting carbon removals in GHG inventory

Switzerland has started reporting industrial carbon removals for the first time in its greenhouse gas inventory, which will be submitted to the UN Climate Change Secretariat in mid-April 2026.

AMERICAS

BRIEFING: In Latin America, ‘Microsoft pause’ could exacerbate barriers to biochar

Biochar credit generation in Latin America is constrained by fragile demand signals and high investment barriers, local developers have said, where a potential time-out from major carbon removals (CDR) buyer Microsoft could exacerbate both conditions.

WCI Markets: CCAs grind lower after release of 15-day notice

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) futures continued to dip following the release of a 15-day notice of proposed programme updates earlier this week, which traders said adds to the uncertainty surrounding the market via changes to the Manufacturing Decarbonization Incentive (MDI) mechanism.

DATA DIVE: US DOE reinstating $24 bln in Biden-era project awards

The Trump administration appears set to preserve $23.9 billion in US DOE grants, including previously terminated funding for direct air capture (DAC) and hydrogen hubs.

US says UNFCCC exit strengthens case against New York ‘superfund’ law

The Trump administration argued in a court filing last week that its planned withdrawal from the UN climate treaty reinforces – rather than weakens – its argument that New York’s climate liability superfund law unlawfully intrudes on federal authority.

US judge dismisses Trump administration effort to stop Hawaii climate case

A US District Court judge rejected a request from the US Department of Justice to block Hawaii from challenging fossil fuel companies regarding climate change impacts.

Chile, Switzerland authorise commercial EVs programme under Article 6.2

A Chilean programme to expand the market penetration of electric vehicles has obtained bilateral authorisation from the governments of Switzerland and Chile, a Swiss procurer of Article 6 credits has reported.

Biochar producer sells 500k tonnes in three-year deal

A Bolivian-based biochar producer has clinched a three-year deal to sell 500,000 carbon removal credits.

Timberland management firm raises $370 mln to invest in forests in Latin America

One of the world’s largest timberland investment managers announced on Thursday it has achieved a first close of $370 million in commitments to invest in Latin America.

Canadian dMRV firm buys operating assets from US biochar platform

A Toronto-headquartered digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) company announced the acquisition of holdings in a digital biochar project development platform on Thursday.

ASIA PACIFIC

Huge Indonesian REDD project confirms first carbon issuance after three-year moratorium ends

A large REDD project is set to receive its first issuance in three years, the developer has told Carbon Pulse, flooding the market with millions of carbon credits, after Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry allowed local forestry projects to trade internationally.

Indonesia publishes regulation to finalise forestry carbon trading

Indonesia’s Ministry of Forestry has issued a new regulation designed to allow local forestry carbon projects to trade internationally, with a major project now expected to be issued a record amount of carbon credits.

ANALYSIS: Latest Safeguard compliance data continues last year’s trends, for better or worse

This week’s release of surrender data for the second year of Australia’s reformed Safeguard Mechanism has highlighted both the positives and drawbacks of the scheme, depending on who you ask.

China thermal power expands in Q1, wind output drops

Power generated by China’s thermal power plants in the first quarter of the year expanded 3.7% from a year ago, while momentum in the wind power sector slowed, according to data released Thursday by the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS).

Japanese utility backs feasibility study for agricultural methodology development under JCM

A large utility in Japan has teamed up with an agricultural project developer to conduct a feasibility study, which could potentially create the foundation of a new methodology under the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

Pacific nations launch fossil fuel free declaration to push energy transition agenda

Pacific Island nations have used a regional meeting this week to launch a regional framework pushing for a fossil fuel free Pacific, they announced Friday.

VOLUNTARY

INTERVIEW: Frontier wants more corporates to buy into carbon removals

A pause in Microsoft’s carbon removal purchases should galvanise corporates to buy into a market that sorely needs them, the market’s second largest buyer told Carbon Pulse.

VCM MONTHLY: Healthy quarterly retirements across voluntary carbon market, CORSIA prices dive 25%

Over 50 million credits were retired over the first three months of 2026, the highest quarterly figure since Q1 2025, while the price of allowances under the UN’s offsetting scheme for global aviation have dropped by around 25% since the turn of the year.

US non-profit opens global 26-year biomass dataset to bolster carbon market monitoring

A US-based non-profit has released a global, high-resolution dataset tracking aboveground biomass over more than two decades, in a move that could strengthen monitoring, baselining, and verification across carbon markets and nature-based solutions.

Gold Standard consults on package of reforms to carbon crediting framework

Carbon registry Gold Standard has open a call for feedback on several tools and tweaks to its crediting framework this week.

Carbon insurer announces new reinsurance partnership

A carbon insurance company has announced a new underwriting partnership with a division of an insurance marketplace.

INTERNATIONAL

ICAO approves two more carbon crediting programmes to supply CORSIA Phase 1

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council has approved two more programmes as eligible under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) for its first phase, covering 2024 to 2026.

Verra rice methodology approved for first two CORSIA phases

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has approved a Verra methodology for the improved management of rice systems for use in the first two compliance phases of UN aviation sector offsetting scheme CORSIA, the standard announced on Thursday.

COMMENT

COMMENT: Article 6.4’s quiet calendar could shape the future of carbon markets

Article 6.4’s upcoming technical decisions on large-scale crediting, risk management, and reversal assessment will determine whether global carbon markets can scale a diverse portfolio of climate solutions or narrowly exclude key approaches like nature-based solutions.

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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. Register here.

Power Summit: June 3-4, Helsinki – Join Eurelectric’s annual summit, where policymakers, industry leaders and innovators will explore how electrification can power Europe’s secure, competitive and climate-neutral future. This year’s edition will focus on accelerating electrification, strengthening energy security and mobilising investment for the energy transition. Register now.

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