Verra released on Friday the final version of deforestation risk maps for Colombia, Cambodia, and the Mai Ndombe province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Spanish translation - The ART Secretariat announced on Friday the posting of translated documents in Spanish for Ecuador's jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme under the TREES standard. The translated documents are available here. A comment period of 30 days has been opened for the translations. All translated documents in the ART Registry are non-certified translations of the official English TREES documents, and are solely for stakeholder reference. In the event of any discrepancy, the English text shall prevail, the secretariat added.

FPIC concerns continue – In Brazil, the Articulation of Tocantins for Agroecology (ATA) has handed a document to an official from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), alleging irregularities in the jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme in Tocantins. The ATA calls for the immediate suspension of the initiative, citing problems in the free, prior, and informed (FPIC) consultation process. The document was presented during a meeting of the Technical Working Group on Safeguards of the National Commission for REDD+ (CONAREDD+). ATA, together with other organisations, have raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the J-REDD+ programme in Tocantins for months. (AF Noticias)

Liberia faces losing vital development bank support unless it approves the sale of credits eligible under the UN's international aviation offsetting scheme (CORSIA), the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Pure carbon – Montoni Group has launched a nature-based carbon offset programme in Quebec aimed at removing residual emissions from its operations, Sustainable Biz reported on Friday. The Laval-based real estate developer said its ‘Pure’ initiative, which was internally launched in 2025, will focus on tree planting, ecosystem restoration, and conservation. Backed by a C$750,000 ($552,800) investment over three years, the programme is expected to remove 20,000-30,000 tonnes of CO2 by 2040, supporting Montoni’s carbon neutrality target. The company is focusing on projects it leads and develops over the purchase of carbon credits, which will enable rigorous monitoring, it said.

Based on the latest NDCs submitted, over 75% of parties have explicitly indicated their intention to participate in Article 6, but only around one-tenth of these are on the demand side, according to a UN presentation.

A Dutch project developer is waiting on a Letter of Authorisation (LoA) for Article 6 trade from Kenya to stave off the need for further capital raising or scaling back operations, it revealed in its annual report on Friday.

A new Canadian organisation has launched to support research, governance, and development of ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) and other ocean-based carbon removal (CDR) approaches.

FPIC in focus – Brazil’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) convened the 10th meeting of the CONAREDD+ safeguards technical working group on April 28-29, bringing together government, civil society, academia, states, traditional communities, and the International Labour Organization to examine how Free, Prior, and Informed Consultation (FPIC) is applied in REDD+ initiatives under ILO Convention 169. Discussions focused on differing interpretations and implementation challenges across contexts. As a next step, the CONAREDD+ Executive Secretariat will compile the inputs and case studies presented, which may inform the development of a resolution or other guidance on FPIC application in REDD+ programmes and projects nationwide.

Brazil carbon standard – The Brazilian carbon credit certifier backed by Brazil’s development bank BNDES has opened a public consultation on the development of its technical standard and certification methodology. The process has technical support from Texas-based Aecom and will remain open until May 23 on Ecora’s website. The certifier was presented during COP30 in Belem, with support from Bradesco and the Ecogreen Fund.

Monitoring biodiversity in REDD+ – Carbon credit trader Karbon-X has partnered with Fundacion BioHerencia to support the integration of field-based ecological data into the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of its Sur del Meta REDD+ project in Colombia, it announced Thursday. The partnership establishes a technical and operational framework to include community-based monitoring and support the project's goal of preserving biodiversity. BioHerencia holds the land of one of the sites where REDD+ is being developed.

A large-scale financing deal will support tree planting on degraded land and scale carbon removal (CDR) efforts in North America, according to a Thursday announcement.

The Dutch national research institute for biodiversity has pre-purchased €50,000 worth of nature-based carbon removal credits generated through a rewilding project in the UK.

Macao International Carbon Emission Exchange (MEX) has formed a partnership with a carbon registry infrastructure provider to expand market connectivity.

A Swiss carbon removal (CDR) supplier has struck its first portfolio agreement to sell carbon credits to a major AI infrastructure company, it announced Thursday.

A Canadian carbon removal company has struck a deal with a French multinational electric utility company covering carbon credit procurement, joint research, and market development.

A Kenya-based cookstoves developer has received an Article 6 Letter of Authorisation (LoA) from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), prefacing intent to sell state-sanctioned carbon credits under the UN’s CORSIA aviation offsetting scheme.

Revisions - Indonesia's financial regulator is planning to revise its carbon trading regulation and roll out a supporting registry system by June of this year, Ecobiz Asia reported, citing OJK's chief commissioner. The move aims to strengthen governance, transparency, and integration of Indonesia’s carbon market framework and comes after recent presidential and forestry regulations. The regulator said it is coordinating with the Indonesia Stock Exchange and other stakeholders to operationalise the system.

The government of Kazakhstan announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement regarding a forestry project targeting more than 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 removals.

The standard body is cutting project review timelines, rolling out digital systems, as well as expanding Article 6 and CORSIA labelling guidance, it said in a Wednesday stakeholder update, as it also published auditor scorecards on the same day.

Remote sensing-based models used for forest carbon projects are unlikely to incorporate tree species identification due to cost constraints, with speakers instead highlighting the role of time-series biomass data in assessing forest carbon projects at a Wednesday webinar.

A Brazilian startup focused on the development of monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) technology for carbon crediting in agriculture has raised R$10.8 million ($2.15 mln) to expand its business, it announced on Wednesday.

A US-based aerospace company has procured 20,000 carbon removal (CDR) credits from six suppliers across the globe via a UK-based marketplace, it was announced Wednesday.

Verra has reinstated eight carbon projects in China following the conclusion of quality control reviews (QCRs), but probes are continuing in another 27 projects, it announced Wednesday. 

A carbon removal expert that had been working for the UK government has joined a voluntary market registry and standard body.

The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has announced an update to its “absolute contraction approach”, a key method used by companies to set emissions reduction targets, in a move aimed at improving consistency and implementation while preserving net zero ambition.

An established carbon markets expert has departed the British fossil fuel producer BP to join another large oil and gas company, they announced Wednesday.

Biochar partners - Berlin-based software platform BlueLayer has partnered with Indian developer LongStraw Carbon to produce around 10,000 tonnes of biochar within a year, with a target of 100,000 tonnes annually by 2028, it said in a LinkedIn post. LongStraw uses proprietary thermal processing technology to generate biochar alongside energy and bio-oil, while working with farmers and millers to improve soil health and reduce fossil fuel use. BlueLayer will provide dMRV infrastructure, to support issuance of carbon credits under Isometric’s methodology.

A flurry of Sub-Saharan African clean cookstoves were cleared to generate international carbon credits this past month, injecting fresh supply into the aviation offsetting scheme CORSIA, and the wider international market. 

An India-based climate startup has raised $1.1 million in a funding round to help scale its carbon removals platform focused on nature-based solutions.

Reforestation resources - Brazil's development bank (BNDES) has disbursed R$40 mln ($8 mln) to Tree Agroflorestal (Tree+) to support the restoration of degraded land in the Atlantic Forest, it announced on Tuesday. This disbursement forms part of a broader R$151.8 mln commitment announced during COP30 last November. The funds will be used to restore 15,000 ha in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro.

Global losses of carbon from salt marshes have outpaced gains from restoration efforts over the past two decades, with degradation of mature, carbon-rich ecosystems outweighing expansion of newer, lower-density wetlands, according to a new study.

A new hub in Quebec will test whether surficial mineralisation can deliver large-scale, low-cost carbon removal (CDR), it was announced on Tuesday.

Not just a number - 1089, a US blockchain company, has signed up to the Global Carbon Registry platform to sell its new crypto carbon credits, CX89 Advanced Fuels Credits, that address Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions for sectors including oil and gas, data centres, manufacturing, EV charging, and transport. The financial company uses US EPA-audited data for monitoring, verification and data analysis, and the credits have embedded insurance from Oka  and Lloyd’s of London.

A developer and an international buyer have signed a binding agreement for the purchase of at least 1.5 million nature-based credits from a Kenyan regenerative agroforestry project, in a deal covering its entire projected issuance.

BTG Pactual's Timberland Investment Group's (BTG Pactual TIG) Latin American Reforestation Strategy has closed more than $1.2 billion in fundraising, employing a model that seeks to promote scaling and generate millions of nature-based carbon removal (CDR) credits, it was announced Tuesday.

South Africa needs to confirm phase three of its carbon tax to unlock a pipeline of domestic investment, urges a lobby group.

The EU should draw on existing standards as part of its carbon credit buying strategy rather than add to an already fragmented patchwork of frameworks, researchers, ratings agencies, and developers said this week.

From feeling the impact from Microsoft's carbon removal buying 'pause’, to hosting a CORSIA auction and building Article 6 readiness, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in April stepped into the midst of global carbon market trends.

A Canadian carbon removal (CDR) company and a US advisory firm have announced a partnership to scale projects using industrial mineralisation technology.

India could tap carbon finance to reduce emissions from coal mine methane, but a lack of awareness and weak data mean the opportunity remains largely unrealised, according to an expert on the country’s coal transition.

Global carbon accounting standard-setter GHG Protocol has appointed its first CEO, introducing a new executive leadership role within the organisation.

A Singapore-based climate tech firm has partnered with a geospatial data provider to develop nature-based carbon projects, the companies said last week.

A Philippines state-owned utility has signed a deal with a Singapore-based advisory to design carbon credit projects, aiming to monetise emissions reductions from its operations and tap new financing streams.

The South Korean government has established a public-private partnership involving the country's major exchange and business lobby to build a voluntary carbon market, with plans to launch a marketplace by the end of this year and pursue further legalisation.

Colombia's environment ministry has published a long-awaited draft decree on social and environmental safeguards for mitigation activities in the Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, which also covers several provisions on project registration, benefit-sharing, baseline alignment, and crediting periods.

One of the largest carbon removal (CDR) standards announced an effort on Monday to ensure projects featuring engineered biochar turned into road materials meet high-integrity certification standards.

A waste-to-materials developer has Tuesday issued carbon credits under a new methodology quantifying emissions avoided from replacing fossil-based plastics, an executive at the firm told Carbon Pulse.

After a run of billion-dollar announcements, Latin America’s carbon sector last week moved into a quieter but important phase: building the rules, financing channels, and project pipelines needed for long-term growth.

A London-based carbon removal specialist has launched a global request for proposals (RFP) to finance high-integrity CO2 removal projects backed by offtake agreements worth at least $3 mln, aiming to channel institutional capital into a constrained but rapidly growing sector.

The long-dated CORSIA futures curve took shape last week after a single lot on the Dec-30 contract was bought on the ICE exchange, while lower quality REDD projects continue to climb in value amid a dearth of supply of fresh issuance in the avoided deforestation sector.

Cooking up priorities - Kenya's Office of the First Lady will on Tuesday convene a high-level breakfast meeting to catalyse the establishment of a Pan-African Coalition on Universal Access to Clean Cooking, according a social media post by the Office of Kenya's Special Envoy for Climate Change. The coalition will seek to align governments, financiers, development partners, and the private sector behind scalable, investable solutions, and it marks a step toward just energy transition in Africa, the post read. The high-level meeting comes after shockwaves from a Kenyan government decision to deny cookstoves carbon project developer Koko Networks a Letter of Authorisation (LoA), which led the developer to shutter.

A startup focused on date palm land management and afforestation is aiming to enter the small world of Egyptian carbon project developers, adding new programmes; independent validation, verification, certification, and pricing; and majority revenue shares for farmers.

A standard-setting body is seeking views on its revised methodology for renewable energy projects, which strengthens the requirements for proving additionality and expands its use to new types of renewables and storage systems.

The price of carbon credits tagged with the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label were more than three times as high in the first quarter of 2026 compared to 2025, according to a new report, as market participants point to a growing quality premium.

A higher UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) price is one factor that can help inject competition into a CO2 storage market that is widely expected to start as a natural monopoly, according to views sent to the government. 

A methane abatement developer last week announced it has secured C$4.5 million (€2.82 mln) in equity financing from two European strategic investors, with proceeds earmarked for acquisitions and expansion of its operating subsidiary.

Deadline extended - The deadline for a bamboo-based carbon credits initiative has been extended to May 11 following strong interest in the initial application round, Guatemala’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food said last week. The programme aims to expand participation by giving more applicants time to engage with the process and access a model centred on bamboo cultivation as a nature-based carbon removal solution. The scheme is positioned as part of broader rural development efforts, promoting bamboo planting to capture carbon, support local economies, and create additional income streams for landowners, the ministry said. Participants are expected to retain control over their land and generated credits, while using available land to diversify revenue and contribute to climate mitigation. Authorities have also scheduled a second virtual information session on Apr. 27 to guide prospective applicants through the registration process and outline project requirements.

A UN agency has launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) to support Lebanon in developing carbon markets with an eye to Article 6 engagement.

Buyers' guide - UK-based NbS carbon standard Plan Vivo has published new guidance for buyers of its carbon certificates, urging companies to avoid broad claims such as “carbon neutral” or “climate positive” and to present purchases as a complement to internal emissions cuts rather than a substitute. The guidance sets out how holders of Plan Vivo Certificates (PVCs) should communicate their use in a “transparent, accurate and credible” way, stressing that emissions reductions within value chains should remain the priority. The document distinguishes between future (fPVCs), reported (rPVCs), and verified (vPVCs) certificates, noting that only fully verified units should support outcome-based claims, while the others should be framed as financial contributions to expected or pending climate benefits.

The European Commission is proposing to set Article 6 of the Paris Agreement as the quality standard for credits to be purchased and cancelled by airlines in the region as part of their CORSIA offsetting obligations, an official told Carbon Pulse.

A UK-based developer has launched a pilot to capture biogenic CO2 emissions from a paper mill in southern Wales and convert them into biochar for long-term storage, it announced last week.

Malaysia's Plantation and Commodities Ministry (KPK) is assessing the potential of developing a carbon credit mechanism for the country’s sustainable palm oil products.

The World Economic Forum has opened applications for a new CO2 removal-focused innovation challenge, seeking early-stage firms working to address persistent financing and market barriers in the nascent sector.