Solar and wind met almost all electricity demand growth last year, while fossil generation stayed flat, according to the latest report by an energy think tank.

Spot credits for Phase 1 of CORSIA traded around $14 this week, while the ending of Indonesia's moratorium on selling voluntary carbon units internationally looks set to unleash a flood of fresh REDD issuances onto the market. 

The cost of meeting demand for CORSIA-Eligible Emissions Units (EEUs) in 2025, at current market prices and based on expected sectoral growth figures, could near $2 billion, according to industry data presented at the Colombia Carbon Forum last week.

Countries around the world are back to negotiating a carbon price for international shipping, with hoping to reach final adoption later this year – but they will have to contend with intense pressure to break the current framework apart.

Cattle in Pakistan’s Punjab province could generate millions of dollars in climate finance by converting manure into biogas, fertiliser, and carbon credits, according to a government-backed feasibility study.

Bamboo biochar – A community-led biochar initiative in the Indian state of Meghalaya, backed by carbon advisory firm Kompliance Kart, is converting bamboo waste into durable carbon removal, the company said in a LinkedIn post. The project works with the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, a local farmer producer group, and research partners including ICAR Meghalaya and MEGNOLIA. Biochar will be applied to farmland to boost soil health and crop yields, while carbon credit revenues are expected to generate income for participating communities.

The market for nature-based carbon removals will withstand Microsoft’s possible pause in carbon removal (CDR) activity, with investor appetite and a broader base of corporate buyers looking to support the sector, according to an expert.

Discounts, discounts - Taiwan will collect carbon fees of around NTD 4.5 bln ($143 mln) this year, of which NTD 4.05 bln will be used to subsidise carbon reduction technologies and local climate adaptation efforts, Central News Agency reported. Taiwan will begin collecting carbon fees from major emitters in May, with most emitters considered qualified for steep discounts under the programme. Entities can pay much lower fees if they have obtained approval from the government for a voluntary emissions reduction plan and have been considered at high carbon leakage risks. A total of 224 facilities, representing 76% of total emissions covered by the carbon levy programme, can enjoy an 80% discount due to high leakage risks, the government said Monday.            

Another route - South Korea and India agreed Monday to cooperate on stabilising energy supply chains amid international oil shock, according to Yonhap. The two countries will strengthen bilateral cooperation to ensure a stable supply of energy resources and key raw materials, including naphtha, President Lee Jae Myung said in a statement. South Korea is predominantly reliant on fossil fuel imports, and imports most of naphtha, a key feedstock for the petrochemical industry, from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz.

Malaysia’s Terengganu state has signed a memorandum of understanding with an oil and gas company to explore the development of nature-based carbon projects.

Two major companies in Japan's heavy industry have endorsed a business consortium developing carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) hubs across Asia.

Big numbers - Indonesia’s blue carbon potential can reach 10 mln tonnes of CO2 annually, national news agency Antara reported, citing the marine affairs minister. Mangroves covering roughly 998,000 ha could sequester about 6.3 Mt per year, while seagrass meadows spanning over 860,000 ha may absorb around 3.8 Mt annually, he said in a statement. The minister added that Jakarta is also formalising trading mechanisms, requiring marine spatial permits and registration in the national carbon registry to avoid double counting. The ministry’s blue carbon action plan released earlier this year, however, said it would target roughly 3.45 mln ha of mangroves and 660,000 ha of seagrass meadows.

Fleet efficiency - India has reached a broad agreement with automakers on the third phase of its Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE-III) norms, a scheme that pushes automakers to reduce emissions and is set to take effect from April next year, following months of negotiations, Economic Times reported. The revised framework slightly eases earlier proposals while retaining a tighter emissions trajectory through FY 2032, aiming to cut average fleet emissions to below 80 gCO2/km. The rules also introduce incentives for electric and hybrid vehicles.

The renewables boom slowed global growth in energy-related CO2 emissions to a tiny fraction last year, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Liquidity in Indonesia’s carbon exchange will be critical in diverting private sector finance into decarbonisation projects and help the Southeast Asian country meet its climate targets, the country’s financial regulator said in a new roadmap.

The International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (ICJ Opinion) is already driving legal and regulatory developments, with directors of companies in the fossil fuel sector considered most exposed to associated risk, a research and advocacy organisation said Monday.

Take it slow - Malaysian state Sarawak's premier over the weekend cautioned against rushing cliamte legislation, urging safeguards for the state’s constitutional rights over carbon resources, Dayak Daily reported. He said Sarawak will continue to independently manage carbon trading, describing it as part of the state’s land heritage and sovereign rights, even as the state has moved to align its policies with the federal government. The premier further said the federal government had agreed to exclude neighbouring Sabah and Sarawak from central control over carbon trading.

The New Zealand carbon price reached a 5-month high on Friday due to lower-than-expected forestry issuance, while the market anticipates upcoming ETS advice from the Climate Change Commission (CCC).

At your fingertips - Singapore-based superapp Grab in 2025 avoided and removed 772,000 tonnes of CO₂e through verified carbon credit projects, equivalent to around 180,000 cars taken off the road for a year, according to its latest sustainability report. Under the Green Programme, the company leverages its digital platform to enable voluntary consumer participation in carbon projects across Southeast Asia. The voluntary scheme was refreshed last year, expanding supported projects in the region from 5 to 17, the report showed.

Metal money - Renewable Metals has raised A$12 mln ($8.5 mln) in Series A funding, led by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and supported by Climate Tech Partners, to advance its Australian-based lithium-ion battery recycling technology, it announced in an emailed statement. The company has developed a patented hydrometallurgical process capable of recovering over 95% of key metals from all major battery chemistries at lower cost, enabling more viable large-scale and onshore recycling. The funding will support a demonstration plant in Western Australia and development of a commercial facility in New South Wales, aiming to reduce reliance on exporting battery waste and strengthen domestic critical minerals supply chains.