The California regulator issued over 155,000 compliance-grade offsets over the most recent reporting period, including one project tagged with direct environmental benefits (DEBs) to the state, according to data released on Wednesday.

Decarb to be determined - US Steel plans to invest up to $2.5 bln into upgrades at its Mon Valley Works plant in Pennsylvania, backed by new owner Nippon Steel. Some of that is expected to go into new technology that will reduce emissions, though the precise pathway is not yet clear. (Pittsburgh's Public Source)

Canadian geoenergy - Jasmin Raymond of the National Institute for Scientific Research (French: Institut national de la recherche scientifique, or INRS) has been appointed to the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Geoenergy Systems Analysis, according to an INRS announcement. As chair, Raymond will receive C$1.4 mln ($1 mln) in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to accelerate the energy transition and reduce dependence on fossil fuels by advancing innovative geoenergy solutions.

GM batteries - Major US automaker General Motors (GM) announced it is expanding into batteries outside its EVs, according to Axios. The Detroit automaker said it would invest in sodium-ion batters to capitalise on the growth of energy storage and AI demand.

A rock and - The City of Boulder, Colorado, updated its Climate Action Plan Tuesday, reaffirming its goal to reduce emissions by 70% by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2035. It also includes localised climate projections and heat vulnerability mapping for the first time.

Canada’s pullback on climate policies in pursuit of energy and economic security doesn’t have to be at odds with its signal to ramp up its carbon removal (CDR) sector, industry players said at a recent event. 

Empire State energy report - The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) released its annual Power Trends report last week, finding that rapid load growth is occurring with tighter reliability margins. This is driven in large part by generator deactivations outpacing new capacity, with new sources such as wind, solar, and short-duration storage offering benefits but not the capacity to sustain the grid during stress events. However, behind-the-meter solar is an asset that can shift and lower peak demand, according to the report, which also found that New York is transitioning toward a winter-peaking system with winter peaks rising more quickly than summer ones. Additionally, Utility Dive reported that solar generation met around 29% of New York’s electricity demand with more than 5.6 GW of generation during the noon hour on June 3, a new record for the state.

The Dominican Republic has reaffirmed its intention to engage voluntarily with international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, while explicitly ruling out their use to meet its own climate targets under its recently submitted Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0.

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.

Fusion forward - The US DOE released on Tuesday its Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap, outlining a strategy to support commercial fusion power in the US by the mid-2030s, with a focus on public infrastructure, AI-enabled modelling, public-private partnerships, supply chains, and workforce development. The roadmap identified six technical challenge areas – structural materials, plasma-facing components, confinement approaches, fuel cycle and tritium processing, blanket science, and plant engineering – and sets near-, mid-, and long-term milestones to close gaps needed for fusion pilot plants, including fuel self-sufficiency, fusion-relevant materials testing, and delivery of electrons to the grid. The DOE said the plan is intended to align federal research and infrastructure with private-sector timelines, but noted future funding depends on Congressional appropriations.

First for solar - Kingston will become the first municipality in New York to adopt automated residential solar and storage permitting, with residents set to use the free SolarAPP+ platform starting in July to streamline rooftop solar applications, reported Solar Power World. The platform will allow local installers to submit applications and receive same-day permits for projects that meet city code requirements, replacing manual reviews that can take weeks. City officials and solar industry representatives said the tool is intended to reduce permitting delays, lower costs for homeowners, and ease workloads for municipal staff. Kingston joins more than 350 local governments nationwide using SolarAPP+, which is available at no cost to municipalities and integrates with existing permitting systems.

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.

A Mexican carbon project developer is betting that premium ratings, biodiversity credentials, and Indigenous community partnerships can help its forest credits stand out in an increasingly crowded voluntary carbon market (VCM), even as domestic demand remains limited and uncertainty around the country’s emissions trading system (ETS) persists.

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.

Waste not - Researchers have converted waste cooking oil into bio-based surfactants and tested their effectiveness for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), finding that the waste-derived chemicals could significantly reduce oil-water interfacial tension, alter reservoir rock wettability, and improve oil production. The best-performing formulation - a blend of nonionic and anionic surfactants derived from waste cooking oil combined with isopropanol - increased total oil recovery to 79% in laboratory sand-pack flooding experiments. The study found that performance was strongest at a salinity of 100,000 ppm and a temperature of 50C, where stable Winsor Type III microemulsions formed and reservoir wettability shifted from strongly oil-wet to water-wet conditions. The authors argue that converting waste cooking oil into EOR surfactants could provide a lower-cost, more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional oilfield chemicals while creating a productive use for a problematic waste stream. (Scientific Reports)

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.

The recent Q2 Washington current carbon auction cleared at less than $1 below the 2026 Allowance Price Containment Reserve (APCR) Tier 1 trigger, within traders' and analysts' expectations ahead of the sale, a Wednesday notice showed.

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.

Asia could cut fossil import costs by around $1 trillion a year by electrifying its economy, a report said, with road transport alone offering savings of more than $300 billion annually.

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.

Football's CO2 fever - The 2026 World Cup in North America will generate over 9 mln tonnes of GHG emissions - making it the 'most polluting World Cup of all time', according to research by Scientists for Global Responsibility, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Cool Down. That's equivalent to 6.5 mln cars being driven for a whole year, and Play the Game - an initiative by the Danish Institute for Sports Studies, goes even further, putting the event's carbon footprint as high as 70 mln tonnes. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) aims to halve its carbon emissions by 2030, and become net zero by 2040, but its words aren't backed up by action, wrote Carbon Market Watch (CMW). The analysts critique the 2026 tournament for expanding in size, and hence carbon emissions, and calls for a downsizing of these events to improve the sport's sustainability.

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.

SAF alliance - Airline Aeromexico and Mexican multinational food company Grupo Bimbo have partnered to promote the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to account for the latter's corporate and business travel in Latin America, they announced this week. The pair said the partnership is first-of-its-kind in the region, and emissions reductions will be credited through internationally recognised mechanisms for SAF allocation and traceability.

RGGI rebate debate - Virginia's Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (CEUR) plans to consider policy options around consumer rebates as the state plans to rejoin regional power sector cap-and-trade scheme RGGI next month, reported Cardinal News. In the coming months, the CEUR intends to analyse whether lawmakers should rebate some or all RGGI proceeds; how those rebates could be allocated among different customers, such as all customers, just residents, or just low-income residents; and whether rebates could potentially offset RGGI-related bill increases. Affordability concerns have reared their head in the RGGI region recently amid all-time high carbon prices, with a paper published last week calling for Virginia to postpone its return to the programme until at least 2027 to prevent a spike in utility rates.

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.

More 6.2 – Kenya and Norway have signed a Statement of Intent to negotiate a bilateral agreement under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The deal was struck on the sidelines of the UNFCCC climate conference in Bonn, the Office of Kenya’s Special Envoy on Climate Change said on Linkedin. Pacifica Ogola, director of climate change at Kenya’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, has decided to set a 10-million cap on ITMO transfers through to 2030, she announced earlier.

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.

Taiwan's first-ever climate lawsuit has been dismissed by the island's supreme administrative court, concluding a five-year legal battle despite growing concerns over the environmental impact of the rapidly expanding AI industry.

Thailand's parliament is expected to pass its Climate Change Act sometime in 2027, but the planned emissions trading system (ETS) is unlikely to impose compliance obligations until close to 2030, according to a legal expert who said many important design features remain undecided.

More than 150 scientists, policymakers and public figures have urged the incoming COP31 presidencies of Turkiye and Australia to make next year’s UN climate summit a “Blue COP”, calling for ocean issues to be written into the formal negotiations and backed by finance outcomes.

New alliance - Carbon EX, which operates a voluntary marketplace, has formed a business alliance with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for services regarding the creation and trading of domestically issued J-Credits. The two companies said they seek to support corporate clients' decarbonisation efforts and expand the supply of J-Credits. They are also working on a carbon project backed by the Tokyo metropolitan government, which bundles energy-saving equipment installations for smaller companies.  

Take a sip - Japanese sake retailer Sakura Sake Shop and carbon management platform Zevero have launched what they claim to be Japan’s first sake to substantiate its low-carbon credentials using actual product data, without resorting to any form of carbon offsetting. The product, which took 18 months from concept to market launch, achieved a 30% reduction in emissions by adopting reusable bottles, using a J-Credit method to grow rice, and eliminating decorative packaging.  

Voluntary cancellations of Kyoto-era carbon credits in Australia rose in May, thanks to a project developer turning in a large volume of certified emission reductions (CER).

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.

Transmission milestone - Australia’s largest transmission project, EnergyConnect, has been fully energised, linking New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia to share renewable power and lower wholesale costs. Transgrid and Elecnor Australia built the 700km NSW section with 1,500 towers and 10,000 km of conductor. Stage 2, the 540 km Buronga–Wagga Wagga line, is now energised after commissioning checks, while Stage 1 became operational last year. Transgrid said the project created 1,500 jobs and invested $300 mln with local businesses.

The New Zealand government has launched a new initiative to scale up agricultural emissions reduction efforts, while at the same time committing cash to boost beef, sheep, and dairy production with a lower environmental impact.

Solar, digital drive- Indonesia and Singapore reaffirmed cooperation in investment, the digital economy, and green energy at the 16th Six Bilateral Economic Working Groups Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, local media reported. Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said investment in Batam, Bintan, and Karimun (BBK) reached $5.7 bln in 2025, while Singapore’s overall investment in Indonesia stood at $17.4 bln. The Batam free trade zone is expanding from eight islands to 22, and the Kendal Special Economic Zone will add 1,000 hectares. Projects include Nongsa Digital Park, data centres in Batam and Bintan, and a 200-MW solar plant with an 80-MWh battery system by Sembcorp and PT Sumber Energi Surya Nusantara. The two countries will also launch a Young Farmer Development Program in June 2026, the report added.

Getting expensive - New South Wales' Net Zero Economic Authority (NZEA) published a report Wednesday on the economic impact of climate change on the state, finding by 2024 its income per capita was around 18% lower than it would have been without past, human-induced climate change. This equates to more than A$20,000 ($14,000) per year, per capita, or an economic loss of around A$180 bln in 2024 alone. While the report said current global settings point to a higher warmer trajectory, a lower warming trajectory would result in NSW being some A$800 bln cumulatively better off over the next 50 years. It called for stronger economic adaptation to reduce losses, including building climate-resilient infrastructure, improving planning and development decisions, and strengthening risk management and preparedness.

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.

Certified - ASX-listed biogas project developer Delorean told the market Wednesday its SA1 Salisbury project has successfully been accredited under the National Greenpower Accreditation Program administered by the NSW government. As a result, the SA1 facility is eligible to generate RGGO certificates linked to its renewable gas production. The certification allows industrial gas users to match their gas use by buying and retiring renewable gas certificates and reducing their Scope 1 emissions. The certification covers biomethane, biogas, e-methane, and renewable hydrogen. Delorean's A1 project is under construction and will divert up to 70,000 tonnes per year of waste streams, producing biogas from anaerobic digestion.

A sustainability advisory and major aviation companies on Wednesday launched what they described as a first-of-kind pilot initiative to kickstart commercial-scale low-carbon liquid fuel (LCLF) production in Australia.

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.