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TOP STORY
ANALYSIS: 48 countries signal interest in biodiversity credits
Biodiversity credits have been referenced by at least 50 countries in national reports, as governments across regions increasingly engage with market-based tools, according to Carbon Pulse research.
INTERNATIONAL
UN-backed alliance seeks feedback on principles for marine biodiversity credits
UN-backed Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA) is seeking feedback on a set of principles for marine biodiversity credits, expecting to release them in the coming weeks.
Ocean conference delivers $6.4 bln in new commitments
More than 100 governments, businesses, and civil society groups have announced $6.4 billion in new commitments for ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, climate resilience, and the blue economy at a major conference in Kenya.
INTERVIEW: Ecoregions seen as potential bridge to scale nature markets beyond local offsets
Ecoregions could provide the framework needed to allow biodiversity compensation across countries, helping nature markets mobilise financing at scale while maintaining a degree of ecological equivalence between impacts and conservation outcomes, an expert told Carbon Pulse.
Investor framework targets corporate engagement on landscape initiatives
A framework to support investor engagement on companies taking part in landscape projects, particularly those in the agricultural and forestry sectors, was launched on Thursday.
Ocean CDR initiative to launch $5 mln RFP to fund expansion of global network for alkalinity enhancement research
An ocean carbon removal research initiative on Wednesday unveiled plans to launch a $5 million funding round aimed at expanding a global research network for ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE), as interest grows in marine CDR technologies but questions remain over their scalability, environmental impacts, and monitoring requirements.
Nearly 60% of top financial institutions still lack deforestation policies -report
Nearly 60% of top financial institutions still lack any meaningful policy to combat deforestation, which could have consequences for the world’s efforts to meet global biodiversity targets, according to a new report.
Biodiversity modelling key to guiding investments in nature-based solutions -report
Biodiversity modelling is critical to ensuring that conservation efforts are effective, as nature-based solutions (NbS) planning based on current patterns risks misallocating investments, according to a new report.
Lack of bankable offtake agreements stalls carbon financing
The carbon industry still faces a critical financing bottleneck as traditional lenders remain sidelined by a lack of bankable offtake agreements, despite growing support for early-stage projects, a conference heard Thursday.
Fragmented carbon credit rules could let developers “shop around” for weaker safeguards, report warns
Divergent rules for managing carbon reversal risks could weaken market integrity and encourage project developers to choose less demanding standards, according to a report released Thursday.
Major firms deepen climate commitments as carbon credit adoption rises, report finds
More than half of the world’s largest companies now have net zero targets and nearly half plan to use carbon credits as part of their climate strategies, according to a report released Tuesday, highlighting the continued mainstreaming of voluntary carbon markets among major corporates.
Voluntary carbon credit retirements holding up, removals market showing signs of strain -report
Retirements across the voluntary carbon market (VCM) were strong across the first five months of 2026 with volumes no longer concentrated at lower price points, according to new analysis, but removals purchases were down by 50% over the same period with questions over whether recent demand boosts will be enough to keep developers heads above water.
EMEA
Verra puts large Zambian agriculture, forestry project on hold
Verra has put a large Zambian REDD+ project on hold, six years after project registration, according to the standard body’s registry.
Cameroon plans to mobilise Article 6 to help meet new 41% emission reduction target
Cameroon is positioning carbon markets as a key pillar of its climate strategy, with an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that boosts its emissions reduction ambitions, citing the economic value of its vast forests and clean energy potential as possible Article 6 revenue streams.
Senegal mangrove project second registered under Verra’s wetlands methodology
A mangrove restoration project in western Senegal has been registered under Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community, and Biodiversity (CCB) standards, becoming the second globally under the body’s flagship VM0033 blue carbon methodology, its developer announced this week.
German fintech company launches natural asset platform
A German financial technology company has launched a platform aimed at mobilising investment in natural capital, with $100 million of projects in the pipeline.
EU governments greenlight fast-track aid to farmers amid surging fertiliser costs
The EU’s 27 member states agreed their position on Wednesday on emergency measures to help farmers cope with rising fertiliser prices, as part of the bloc’s response to mounting pressure on farm incomes linked to the Middle East crisis.
Carbon removals linked to UK ETS should have a project-risk assessment, says ratings agency
The UK government should incorporate project-level ratings assessments when they integrate domestic carbon removals into their Emissions Trading System (ETS), a ratings agency said Tuesday.
Ukraine adopts Article 6 pilot framework, national carbon registry rules
Ukraine has adopted a two-year framework on Wednesday to test procedures for authorising, issuing, and transferring mitigation outcomes under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, alongside rules for a national carbon registry.
NbS developer eyes Ukraine soil carbon credits before 2030
A Dutch nature-based (NbS) project developer has completed a two-year assessment of soil carbon opportunities across Eastern Europe and launched a full feasibility study in Ukraine that could lead to carbon credit issuance before 2030, it announced Thursday.
Activists challenge Ukraine carbon projects, despite no registry approval to date
Environmental activists are demanding answers about several agricultural carbon credit projects in Ukraine, arguing that insufficient transparency surrounding the initiatives raises concerns about the integrity of future carbon credits that could be generated under the voluntary carbon market.
Congo Basin industrial logging emits 87.5 Mt of CO2 annually, satellite analysis finds
A new satellite-based assessment has found that industrial logging concessions across Africa’s Congo Basin emit around 87.5 million tonnes of CO2 annually, while widespread adoption of reduced-impact logging practices could cut those emissions by up to 58% and unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in carbon finance.
ASIA PACIFIC
Ocean foundation puts up $17 mln for marine projects in Asia
A German-headquartered foundation opened a call for proposals this week, offering a total $17 million of funding to projects focused on establishing blue carbon schemes in marine protected areas, and Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) across four Asian countries.
INTERVIEW: Indonesia needs ‘period of calm’, REDD+ project developer says
The CEO of a legacy REDD+ project in Indonesia has said overseas buyers and investors are looking for stability in the country’s carbon regulatory landscape to instil confidence that credits will resume and remain flowing.
South Korea, Malaysia ink biogas pact, eye Article 6 carbon projects
Malaysia and South Korea have agreed to cooperate on biogas development and carbon market initiatives, including potential Article 6 projects under the Paris Agreement, they announced this week.
India seeks public input on draft rules for carbon offset scheme
India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), administrator of the country’s emerging carbon market, has launched a public consultation on draft rules governing Programmes of Activities (PoA) under the offset mechanism.
Carbon market investor expands Asia presence with Singapore office
A California-headquartered carbon credit investment and project management firm has opened a regional office in Singapore amid its Asian expansion efforts.
AMERICAS
INTERVIEW: Brazil project developer aims to set benchmark for REDD+
A project developer operating in Brazil hopes that a new rating will help its Amazon project set a benchmark to restore the credibility of REDD+, a representative told Carbon Pulse.
Forest carbon standard issues over 1 mln credits to Costa Rica, first removal units
A major certification body for jurisdictional carbon programmes issued just under 1.1 million credits to Costa Rica, a share of which are the first removals certified by the standard, it announced Wednesday.
UN-backed restoration finance facility backs Peru forest carbon developer
A UN-backed restoration finance facility has partnered with a Peru-focused nature-based solutions developer to help advance a pipeline of community-led forest restoration and conservation projects targeting carbon, biodiversity, and sustainable land-use outcomes across Latin America.
Canadian nature-based solutions failing to realise full climate, water potential -researchers
A majority of nature-based solutions (NbS) projects implemented in Canada over the past 15 years have focused narrowly on biodiversity conservation despite possessing significant untapped potential to simultaneously address climate change, water security, and other societal challenges, according to new research.
Washington state adopts updated forest offset rule for cap-and-invest programme
Washington state regulators adopted revisions to the US forest offset protocol under its cap-and-invest programme on Tuesday, finalising changes intended to make the crediting framework more applicable to the state’s forests while responding to comments on permanence and Tribal land constraints.
New programme to allocate C$100 mln to accelerate climate tech, agriculture projects
A Canadian venture capital company has launched a new C$100 million ($71 mln) fellowship programme to fund early-stage climate technology projects.
Heineken backs Brazilian development bank’s ecological restoration initiative
Brewing company Heineken Brazil has agreed to donate R$5 million ($981,720) to an ecological restoration initiative run by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
INTERNATIONAL
Mombasa Declaration – At the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Kenya, 16 governments adopted the Mombasa Declaration to tackle illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Countries backing the initiative are Belgium, Cameroon, Chile, the Dominican Republic, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Korea. Signatory countries pledged to enhance transparency, including reforming vessel registries, publishing fishing authorisations, and boosting information-sharing to enable enforcement and accountability across fisheries sectors.
OceanEye – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced Canada will be joining a new EU marine monitoring alliance, deepening diplomatic ties with Brussels, and taking on a larger role in global marine security and ocean intelligence-gathering. Carney will co-chair the OceanEye International Alliance which is backed by an initial €92 mln by the European Commission. OceanEye will gather data on ocean health, the effects of climate change, and increase marine security with the goal of bolstering the EU and Canada’s influence within the rapidly growing blue economy. The launch of OceanEye and Canada’s subsequent contribution comes in the face of the Trump administration gutting the Ocean Observatories Initiative in May.
EMEA
UK forest project – A UK-based afforestation, reforestation, and restoration (ARR) project has received a BeZero Carbon ex ante rating of AApre with low execution risk, its developer announced on Thursday. The project, based in Scotland, is the first AA-level rating awarded to a UK Woodland Carbon Code scheme, according to developer Oxygen Conservation. The Invergeldie Estate Woodland Creation seeks to generate over 350,000 carbon removal credits over an 100-year commitment period, based on its native woodland work in Perthshire.
Do more – Europe’s coastal communities believe that governments are not doing enough to protect the marine environment, research commissioned by ClientEarth has found. In a survey across nine countries, 46% said their local marine ecology was in decline, but just 36% trusted their government was doing enough to protect it. People in the UK (29%) were the least confident. Company Focaldata surveyed 1,804 people living within 10 km of the coast between April and May.
Sowing seeds – The EU has struck a deal to overhaul rules for selling plant reproductive material such as seeds to ensure they are of high quality. It aims to replace several sector-by-sector directives with one EU-wide regulation, reported The Brussels Times. The agreement should deliver rules supporting biodiversity and farmers, while allowing the use of tools to examine biological material at the molecular level. Harmonised procedures will intend to reduce administrative workloads for national authorities.
Blue carbon – A blue carbon accelerator, managed by Fair Carbon and Finance Earth, announced its first cohort on Thursday, backing two mangrove projects in West Africa. The Blue Catalyst Fund will provide early-stage finance to projects in the Gambia and Guinea, offering technical expertise to help them develop “investment-ready” blue carbon initiative, Fair Carbon said in a statement. The Gambia-based North Bank Ecosystem Restoration Trust will use the accelerator’s funding to conserve and restore 16,950 ha of mangroves, while Guinea-based West Africa Blue will scale its mangrove initiative across 34,000 ha of the country’s Forecariah and Boffa prefectures. The Blue Catalyst Fund, endorsed as an Action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, aims to support the conservation and restoration of 150,000 ha of coastal ecosystems.
ASIA PACIFIC
Island time – The government of Tonga has announced the achievements of a nature-based solutions project that has aimed to support Pacific islands in integrating nature-based solutions into national systems over the last two years. These included guidelines for agriculture and forestry, a national framework for coastal resilience and forestry, and a policy briefing paper on coastal resilience, reported the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme. The initiative was implemented in partnership with IUCN and funded by New Zealand.
Forming ties – Japan’s Green Carbon said it signed a new agreement with the Department of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam’s An Giang province, which lies in the rice producing Mekong Delta, to develop carbon credits from methane reductions in rice cultivation using alternate wetting and drying (AWD) techniques. The company said it will launch a 100 ha pilot in 2025 and gradually expand implementation under Vietnam government’s own one-mln-ha low-emissions rice programme. Green Carbon said it is targeting the generation of around 3.66 mln carbon credits by 2035 across its Vietnam AWD project portfolio, while An Giang is expected to become one of its largest project areas. It has signed cooperation agreements with authorities in 15 Vietnamese provinces since opening a local office in 2024.
Held to the fire – The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has sued burger chain Grill’d for alleged greenwashing over its Tree Day Tuesday campaign, it said on Tuesday. ACCC alleged that the burger chain misled customers over the campaign, which ran from Jan. 2021 to Apr. 2024, and its claim that it would donate A$1 (70 cents) from every burger sold on Tuesdays towards tree planting. Several conditions to eligibility meant that, of the 5 mln burgers sold on Tuesdays over the period, only 4% qualified for the donation. Grill’d said it had donated A$250,000 under the campaign, the Guardian reported. ACCC said it is seeking declarations, penalties, costs, and other orders from the court.
AMERICAS
Grassland gains – The Weston Family Foundation has committed an additional C$37 mln to its Prairie Grasslands Initiative, it was announced on Tuesday. The funding builds on an initial C$30 mln commitment launched in 2021 and will support 10 organisations delivering projects across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The foundation said the initiative helped support conservation activities across more than 480,000 ha of grasslands habitat between 2021-24, trained over 3,500 land stewards, and established hundreds of ecological management agreements and conservation easements.
Longleaf lift – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced $20 mln in grants on Wednesday through its Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund (LLSF) to restore, enhance, and protect longleaf pine forests across nine southern US states, leveraging more than $18.6 mln in matching contributions. The public-private partnership is backed by 12 funding partners, including the Bezos Earth Fund, and will generate a total conservation impact of $38.6 mln. The funding round marks 15 years of LLSF grantmaking and will support the planting of millions of longleaf pine seedlings, expand the use of prescribed fire, and assist more private landowners across the predominantly privately owned landscape.
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