Fuel fix - A broad coalition of US fuel refiners, ethanol producers, agriculture groups, and fuel retailers have urged Congress to include a bipartisan Farm Bill amendment that would allow year-round E15 sales and reform the SRE process under the Renewable Fuel Standard, the American Petroleum Institute said on Apr. 23. The amendment, led by Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), would expand consumer fuel options, provide more certainty for energy producers and retailers, and create a clearer process for refinery exemptions, according to the coalition.

Climate case curtailed - A Wisconsin judge has dismissed a youth-led climate lawsuit challenging state energy laws, ruling that questions over environmental policy fall outside the courts’ authority and must be addressed through the political process. The case, filed by environmental groups on behalf of 15 young plaintiffs, argued that limits on renewable energy requirements and restrictions on considering pollution from new fossil fuel plants were unconstitutional and harmful to young people’s health and livelihoods. While the court acknowledged climate-related harms, it found the claims raised political questions and lacked sufficient legal standing, echoing arguments from state lawmakers. Plaintiffs’ representatives said they plan to appeal. (WPR)

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.

Canada and Alberta are expected to agree within the "next two weeks" to raise the carbon price for industrial emitters, a step seen as critical to unlocking a broader package covering oil sands emissions and new pipeline infrastructure that remains unresolved, media reported on Monday.

A regional assessment found CO2 storage costs are lowest in basins with favourable reservoir properties, including several offshore formations, while lower onshore costs may be offset by lower reservoir quality.

Canadian investors broadly support the development of a national sustainable finance taxonomy, but its effectiveness will depend on clear federal policy backing and integration into regulatory frameworks, according to a new survey.

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.

California regulator ARB announced on Tuesday it has extended the deadline for public comments on proposed updates to the state's Cap-and-Invest Program outlined in a 15-day notice earlier this month.

RGGI Allowance (RGA) futures plunged from all-time highs on Tuesday following three days of historic surging as market participants pointed to the collapse of strong bidding that drove the recent rally and said the direction of the market ahead remains unclear.

SBCE scope discussion – In Brazil, the Extraordinary Secretariat for the Carbon Market (SEMC), within the Ministry of Finance, is progressing discussions on which sectors and activities will be included in the national emissions trading system (SBCE). Last Thursday, the SEMC hosted a workshop examining the capacity and maturity of the country’s various productive sectors, as well as their energy consumption and emissions intensity. Held in Brasilia, the event brought together experts, academics, and representatives from both the private sector and government. The first operators selected for the system will be required to develop their monitoring plans in 2027, marking the start of the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) cycle between 2028 and 2029.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul (D) is working on a proposal that would delay implementation of the state's planned cap-and-invest programme until 2028 amid ongoing debates around the state's climate goals and budget, media reported Tuesday.

Sticking to the target - New Brunswick’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change Gilles LePage said the Canadian province can reach its 2030 GHG emissions target despite an 11.4% YoY spike in recently released figures for 2024. The province reported that emissions have been generally trending downward, but 2024 emissions rose to 12.8 MtCO2  – the highest level since 2019. The province aims to emit 10.7 MtCO2 per year by 2030. LePage said the spike is an isolated event caused by a longer-than-expected shut down of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station, during which more power was generated from fossil fuel-burning plants. (CBC)

My little soda (mountain) pop - The California Energy Commissions approved a solar and energy storage project on Monday in San Bernardino County on 2,670 acres (1,080 hectares) of land administered by the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Soda Mountain Solar Project, developed by VC Renewables, remains contingent on BLM approval. If completed, it will generate up to 300 MW of renewable energy and store up to 1,200 MWh in the battery system. Project costs are estimated at nearly $700 mln. If completed, it would support the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard and emissions reduction targets. California staff advised at the end of 2025 to certify the Soda Mountain Solar Project.

Spain and Germany have made nearly €7 billion in fiscal commitments to soften the impact of the war in the Middle East on voters, with France and the UK having taken almost no action thus far to shield consumers from the effects of price rises, analysis from a European think tank shows.

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.

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.

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.

Policies aimed at curbing deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon have failed to simultaneously address land degradation, which continues to affect carbon stocks, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, according to a new paper.

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

A soil carbon project in Mongolia developed by a US firm has become the first of its kind to receive a formal “no objection” decision under Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

New market - Japanese startup Sagri, which promotes regenerative agriculture and the creation of carbon credits, is looking to expand its business in Brazil, according to a company statement. The company, recently shortlisted for a startup programme, will receive support from the Brazilian government to work on soil organic carbon projects for major agricultural corporations in the South American country.

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

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.