SAF surge – Technip Energies, Airbus, Safran, and Tereos have agreed to form a joint venture to develop a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant in northern France which they dubbed Rebound. The plant targets an annual output of 160,000 tonnes, positioning it among Europe’s largest facilities. The partners said Tuesday that they will fund engineering and other pre-FID work for the project, which aims to convert advanced ethanol from agricultural and forestry residues into SAF as EU blending mandates drive demand growth. Separately in SAF news, it was also announced Tuesday that Syzygy Plasmonics and World Fuel Services have signed a capacity reservation agreement covering future SAF output from planned NovaSAF facilities in Central and South America.

Verra launched development of several new or revised standards, including a new methodology for avoiding super pollutant emissions from refrigeration systems.

A rift has emerged in Bonn between Article 6.2 buyer and host countries, as they debate a UN proposal suggesting user fees to plug an €8.6-million hole in the 2026-27 biennial budget, among other options.

Policymakers should widen climate finance policy toolkits, improve data frameworks, and strengthen evaluations to unlock transition investment opportunities that remain largely untapped, the OECD said in a 2026 review.

Rapid deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure could add almost 3 billion tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere before emissions savings from AI applications begin to outweigh the sector's own climate footprint, according to a new study.

Carbon ratings agency BeZero Carbon said independent legal reviews have concluded its activities fall within the scope of the EU's new ESG Ratings Regulation, as the company prepares to seek recognition under the regime ahead of its July implementation.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF)'s climate work has helped countries integrate transition risks into economic policy, but its decarbonisation advice and lending framework need sharper tailoring as members weigh carbon pricing, fiscal constraints, and green investment needs, according to a new independent evaluation.

Institutional investors managing more than €13 trillion in assets have urged EU leaders to resist pressure to dilute the bloc’s carbon market as governments prepare a politically sensitive review of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) next month.

European carbon prices posted modest daily gains as they tentatively rebounded in the wake of recent losses, while energy markets rose following reports of retaliatory US strikes on Iran.

Proposed reforms to the European Union's carbon market could significantly weaken the bloc's emission reduction trajectory, flood the market with surplus permits, and undermine the pathway to climate neutrality, according to a new technical assessment by climate policy think tank.

Branching out - Serbia has expanded its new carbon tax regime by adopting decrees establishing decarbonisation grants and carbon tax credits for companies investing in emission reduction technologies. The measures are intended to help domestic industry adapt to tightening EU climate requirements, including the bloc's CBAM, while maintaining competitiveness. Serbia introduced a carbon tax and carbon-intensive import levy of €4/tCO2e earlier this year, well below current EUA prices around €75-80. Eligible projects for grants and tax credits include renewable energy, hydrogen, energy storage, grid upgrades, flexible electrification, CCUS, and the retirement of thermal power assets. The environment ministry will oversee competitive funding rounds, and grant recipients may be required to repay support if projects fail to deliver expected emissions reductions. The government said the measures aim to stimulate investment in green technologies and support a gradual industrial decarbonisation transition. (Balkan Green Energy News)

Ukraine has published a draft law outlining the framework for its planned domestic emissions trading system (ETS), which would seek to cover power, industrial, aviation, and maritime sectors exceeding specified thresholds.

A standard-setting body has approved its methodology for cutting methane emissions from rice cultivation, saying it will expand the possibilities for high-integrity reductions from sustainable agriculture.

EU-Korea dialogue – The EU and South Korea used their 11th summit in Brussels on Wednesday to deepen cooperation on energy security and the clean transition, launching a new High-Level Energy Dialogue to coordinate policies on energy security, economic resilience and decarbonisation. This dialogue will sit under a broader Competitiveness Partnership covering supply chains, advanced technologies, energy and innovation, and aims to reinforce resilience as both sides push ahead with the shift away from fossil fuels. Leaders also highlighted research links under Korea’s association to Horizon Europe and support for deep-tech startups, positioning clean energy innovation at the core of the upgraded strategic partnership.

EU inks deal with four African states – The EU on Wednesday concluded talks on a modernised Economic Partnership Agreement with four Eastern and Southern Africa states that embeds climate and energy considerations into its trade pillars. The revamped deal with Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles includes binding, enforceable commitments on environmental and climate protection in a dedicated Trade and Sustainable Development chapter, with the Paris Agreement listed as an “essential element”. Brussels underlines the agreement’s relevance for the green transition, highlighting commitments covering mining, manufacturing and renewable energy as key sectors for EU services providers and investors. The EPA will also establish an agricultural partnership aimed at supporting more sustainable agri-food value chains in the region.

EU methane penalties on US LNG – The EU Methane Regulation is back in the spotlight ahead of the Energy Omnibus proposal expected for June 24. Leaked drafts revealed options to delay penalties for oil and gas companies that may be in breach of import rules. Clean Air Task Force sent recommendations to the European Commission and member states: they should reject the suspension and instead limit it to a maximum of one year, introduce phased penalty scales with steadily increasing minimum fees between 2027 and 2030, publish guidance on penalty calibration and force majeure conditions by 30 July 2026, and initiate infringement proceedings against non-compliants by Jan. 1, 2027. Read more here.

Veteran EU Parliament lawmaker Peter Liese appears the obvious choice to lead negotiations on the reform of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) later this year, but divisions within his centre-right European People's Party (EPP) over the future of the EU carbon market could yet block his appointment.

Regulatory uncertainty is still weighing on the development of clear price signals for Phase 1 of CORSIA, but supply of credits should ramp up over next 12 months, a webinar heard Wednesday.

The world's largest banks, led by US-based institutions, have increased their fossil fuel lending last year – up nearly 8% on 2024 levels – to reach a huge $906 billion, in the latest sign yet that financiers are failing to make decisions compatible with global agreement to rein in temperature rise.

The European Commission is weighing an extension of free carbon allowances and a review of aviation rules to ensure “an effective carbon price” on international flights, according to a leaked internal paper seen by Carbon Pulse.

The European Union must launch an “electricity revolution” to slash fossil fuel imports and turn Europe into “the first electric continent”, the European Commission’s new top energy official said on Wednesday, ahead of an EU‑wide electrification action plan due on July 15.

Green lit - Germany has been awarded the go-ahead from the European Commission to combine two industry energy subsidies for 2026 - allowing companies to benefit both from a temporary lower industrial electricity price and a power price compensation scheme that curbs their exposure to carbon pricing. This is according to a statement made by economy minister Katharina Reiche to business daily Handelsblatt, and comes at a time of declining industrial production due to weak demand, increasing global competition, high import tariffs, and climate transition costs. The extra relief is expected to cost the govt around €1 bln. For 2027 and 2028, companies would only be able to benefit from both subsidy schemes simultaneously if they apply them to different industrial processes. However, energy think tanks critiqued the agreement for lacking a long-term structural approach and for mainly benefiting large-scale consumers over smaller companies due to the administrative hurdles involved. 

A cement producer has launched an industrial-scale carbon capture test platform in southern France to validate technologies under real-world cement plant conditions, it announced Wednesday.

EU oil and gas producers have further cut their expectations for 2030 CO2 storage capacity in Europe, with new industry data showing a shrinking project pipeline that clashes with Brussels’ upbeat assessment of progress towards the bloc’s injection target of 50 million tonnes per year.

Tech giant expands access to its carbon credit service to qualified companies in the UK, offering businesses a new way to invest in 'high-quality' offsets as part of their broader decarbonisation strategies.

CO2-powered flights - Researchers in Saudi Arabia have hit the highest reported efficiency rate for converting CO2 into jet fuel-range hydrocarbons, in a step forward for the development of SAF, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced this week. Around 75% of the liquid produced from converting the CO2 fell within the range required for jet fuel, and the catalyst operated for more than 1,000 continuous hours under reaction conditions, it said. The researchers, from KAUST and Aramco, used machine-learning to systematically explore complex experimental conditions. Further scale-up, techno-economic evaluation, and certification processes will be needed to reach commercial deployment, but the findings set a new performance benchmark.  

France-headquartered multinational bank Societe Generale has pledged €100 million to a fund aimed at supporting nature-based solutions (NbS) projects worldwide.

The problem of diverse country risk profiles for gaining CORSIA Letters of Authorisation (LoAs) – crucial for developers – is exacerbated by many host countries’ fears or lack of data around overselling, threatening supply, officials and experts said on the sidelines of SB64 in Bonn.

Boost for batteries - The European Commission has launched the new Battery Booster Facility, which will inject up to €1.5 bln into European battery cell manufacturing using revenues from the ETS-backed Innovation Fund. The facility will provide interest-free loans in order to catalyse private investment, accelerate industrial deployment, and bolster Europe's industrial competitiveness and strategic autonomy in clean tech. Eligible projects must produce battery technology suitable for use in electric vehicles (though offtakers may use the products for other purposes), and production must be located within the European Economic Area (EEA), with a minimum production capacity of 10 GWh. The maximum loan amount per project is €500 mln, and applications will be assessed on their technical and financial maturity, and their added value for the European economy. The Commission will launch a call for proposals in the third quarter, indicatively for 6 weeks, aiming to award the first projects under the facility and make the first payments before the end of 2026.

Plans to produce battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes from CO2 emissions in Finland have advanced following two companies agreeing to use captured CO2 from a Finnish power plant.

As carbon markets undergo an integrity reset, treating women’s inclusion as a co-benefit is no longer enough – inclusive finance can help make their contributions measurable, verifiable, and central to the credibility of carbon projects.

Volatility shocks from the EU's carbon market are transmitted far more strongly to emerging European stock markets during periods of heightened market stress than under normal conditions, with Greece, Poland, and Hungary particularly exposed, according to a new study.

Policy recommendations accompanying academic research on net zero and climate mitigation frequently drift beyond the evidence presented and often resemble advocacy rather than neutral scientific guidance, according to a new systematic review.

A CO2 removal market that only a few years ago was dominated by climate-tech experimentation and future promises is entering a more mature, execution-focused phase, with investors, buyers, and policymakers increasingly prioritising delivery, financeability, and infrastructure over ambitious announcements, according to a new report.

Carbon finance has become the dominant driver of investment and growth in the clean cooking sector, according to a new industry assessment that suggests companies without crediting programmes are increasingly struggling to attract capital and scale operations.

Several Latin American countries crossed major milestones in the operationalisation of Article 6 markets last week, signalling a shift from years of institutional preparation towards the first wave of actual carbon transactions under the Paris Agreement.