France has published a document summarising its transition away from coal, oil, and fossil gas by mid-century, positioning itself among the first countries to respond to the COP30 presidency’s call for national transition plans.

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.

Six European governments are leaning too heavily on carbon removal technologies to meet their climate targets, risking delays to essential emissions cuts and undermining the bloc’s long-term goals, according to a new analysis by a Brussels-based climate NGO.

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.

Peatland priorities – A study published in Communications Earth & Environment on Tuesday identified key research gaps needed to safeguard peatlands as a major global carbon store under mounting environmental pressure. The authors outlined 50 priority research questions based on input from 467 experts across 54 countries, providing a coordinated agenda for the next decade. Peatlands cover just 3-4% of land yet storing around one-third of global soil carbon, yet they continue to degrade. The study highlighted urgent needs spanning carbon dynamics, climate impacts, restoration, and policy.

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.

European carbon prices ended Tuesday moderately higher, holding within their recent range with little overall direction, while energy markets made a general recovery as traders began to focus on the medium-term supply outlook.

New reporting rules for EU capitals - The European Commission is consulting on an implementing regulation which will update EU member states' reporting obligations and align them with the EU's updated energy and climate legislation. EU member states must report every two years on the implementation status of their integrated national energy and climate plans by means of integrated national energy and climate progress reports. The Commission is proposing to simplify and introduce elements from updated climate policies in its implementing regulation, which will be open for feedback until May 22.

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.

The European Commission has set out national emission limits for sectors outside the EU’s carbon market for the next four years, in two pieces of implementing legislation published this week.

Diversification wins - Europe's increasing diversification away from fossil fuels helped its power markets to absorb the shock of the Middle East conflict, which disrupted 80 Mt per year of Gulf LNG exports, said Wood Mackenzie in new analysis. Wholesale power prices across Europe's five major markets averaged just over €90/MWh in Mar. 2026, largely unchanged from Mar. 2025 and well below the €280/MWh recorded during the first months of the Ukraine crisis. The supply shock matched the scale of Russia's 2022 curtailment into Europe but three factors helped contain prices this time round. These were warmer weather in Europe that left storage at 28% capacity at end-March, project start-ups that added 40 Mtpa of new LNG supply/yr since the start of 2026, and a reduction in China's LNG demand as it turned to alternatives. Spain recorded the lowest wholesale power price at €42/MWh in Mar. 2026, supported by renewables penetration above 60%, while more solar availability led Germany to cut coal and gas generation from 46% in February to 39% in March.

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 coalition of carbon removal (CDR) proponents has called for the EU to include a clear share of negative emissions technologies as part of the international credits contribution towards the bloc's new 2040 climate goal.

Divisions emerged among EU lawmakers as they adopted their final position on the bloc's new draft long-term budget in Strasbourg on Tuesday, with some members opposing the use of internal taxation forms like revenues from carbon pricing.

The UK government's plan to create a floor price for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could help to reduce the "green premium" that constrains the uptake of what many see as the fastest way to cut aviation emissions, according to an airport official.

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.

BP’s indirect emissions, accounting for most of its greenhouse gas pollution, jumped almost 50% in 2025, while direct emissions hit a five-year high, as the energy major pivoted back to oil and gas.

A German lignite operator is lobbying for an exemption from the EU’s carbon market, arguing that high emissions costs, not fuel fundamentals, are what make domestic coal uncompetitive, according to media based in the country.

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).

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.

The European Parliament has endorsed new rules introducing a single methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from all types of passenger and freight transport, rubber-stamping a deal with member states.

Special treatment - The EU is considering how to adapt the accreditation and emissions verification requirements under its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to take into account the challenging conditions faced by Ukraine. In a recent speech, Nicola Sibona, head of the trade and economic section of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, recognised that Ukraine's steel sector has been especially hard hit by the war, with production capacity having fallen by about 60% since 2013, though the country's steel exports to the EU have risen from about 25% at that time to 70% today. By end-2025, Ukrainian steel exports totaled 4.7 Mt, of which 3.7 Mt were shipped to EU countries. The EU helped enable this through suspended steel safeguard measures against Ukraine when Russia's full-scale invasion began. Ukraine experienced significant disruptions during the initial CBAM implementation, but long term, the Commission expects it to have relatively limited impact on the Ukrainian economy, with the cost of carbon gradually fed into prices and Ukraine in a relatively advantageous position compared to other third countries. The EU Delegation's aim is for Ukraine to participate fully in the EU's internal market in the long run.

Strong performer - The Norwegian Group performed strongly in the first quarter of 2026, with results reported Tuesday positively influenced by a stronger Norwegian krone, as well as gains from jet fuel hedging and the reduced price of EU ETS allowances. The airline achieved a record-high load factor for a first quarter of 87.6%, a far lower operating loss, and an increase in the group's liquidity position to NOK 14.2 bln (€1.3 bln). The operating result (EBIT) was negative NOK 220 mln, compared to negative NOK 611 mln for the same period last year, while profit before tax (EBT) amounted to negative NOK 459 mln for the quarter. Norwegian also launched Denmark's first domestic route using 40% sustainable aviation fuel during the quarter, as part of a govt tender.

Liquidity providers - Japan Exchange Group (JPX) has designated five major firms as market makers for the nation's carbon offset market for FY2026. According to an official notice, these companies are authorised to trade J-Credits generated from renewable energy and energy conservation projects. The selected companies are Sumitomo Corporation, Daiwa Securities, Marubeni Corporation, Mizuho Bank, and Mitsui.

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.

Planned visit - Kishida Fumio, former Japanese prime minister and now a special envoy, is set to visit the Philippines for energy talks, according to the Philippine News Agency. Kishida will hold meetings with high-level Filipino officials and exchange views on promoting initiatives under the Tokyo-led Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC). The plan comes after Japan's announcement of a $10 bln regional energy cooperation framework, which aims to finance the procurement of crude oil and petroleum products and maintain supply chains in Asia.

CCS certification - DNV has been appointed independent certifier for the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), the CO2 transport and storage (T&S) project that underpins the UK's East Coast Cluster for carbon capture and storage (CCS). The assurance provider has been selected by NEP with approval from Ofgem, and shall verify that the project's construction and operation comply with the CO2 T&S license granted by the government, stated the press release. NEP will transport CO2 captured from industrial plants in Teesside for permanent storage beneath the North Sea and marks a key part of the UK's nationally significant CCS infrastructure.

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

The carbon price in the NZ ETS climbed slightly higher above NZ$50 Tuesday following warnings of a potential shortfall from the Climate Change Commission (CCC), as the body advised a wait-and-see approach to the issue.

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.

Doubling - China’s data centre capacity is set to nearly double to over 60 GW by 2030, raising power demand by more than two times from current levels by the of the decade, or 2.3% of national electricity consumption, according to research firm Rystad Energy. Overall, the sector is projected to exceed consumption to 289 TWh by 2030, with data centres seen as the fastest-growing source of power demand, expanding at roughly 19% annually between 2025-30. AI-focused facilities, which are more energy-intensive, are increasing their share of installed capacity and reshaping infrastructure buildout. The expansion is also accelerating renewable integration, Rystad said, with operators combining wind, solar and storage to secure reliable, lower-carbon power supplies.

Opportunity captured - ASX-listed Dotz Nano announced it has successfully scaled up production of its proprietary CO₂ capture sorbents to hundreds of kilograms annually, marking a key step toward commercialisation and targeting ton-scale capacity by early 2027. The company said the scale-up has reduced production costs and attracted new purchase orders for evaluation trials, signalling growing industry interest and confidence in the technology. Dotz emphasised these developments demonstrate operational readiness and position it for a “transformative” year of commercial validation and potential long-term partnerships.

Linking markets - Singapore's environment minister Grace Fu said the city-state had reached substantive conclusion on an implementation agreement under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement with the Philippines, with signing expected soon, as part of its efforts to expand such partnerships in Southeast Asia. The deal would add to Singapore’s existing pipeline of purchases from nature-based projects in countries such as Ghana, Paraguay, and Peru. Fu said further agreements with other ASEAN states are being pursued, alongside a second tender covering both technology-based and nature-based credits.

Winds of changed - Australia is seeking public feedback on the 2025–26 review of charging arrangements under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (OEI) framework, specifically through its Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS). The review will assess licence assumptions, levy-based cost recovery, potential temporary financial relief for licence holders, and expected regulatory costs over the next three years. Submissions are open until 1700 AEST on May 25 2026, with the CRIS underpinning how the offshore energy framework is administered and regulated.

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.