Lawsuits seeking to block the Trump administration's rollback of climate policies accounted for around one-fifth of all US climate litigation filed in 2025, reflecting an unprecedented shift towards using the courts to defend existing climate rules, according to a report published on Thursday.

Few markets have faced as severe a reputational battering as the REDD+ avoided deforestation sector in the last couple of years, but new standard body Equitable Earth (EE) plans to restore faith in saving tropical forestry with a fresh approach that is already set to protect an area the size of Portugal, the chief executive told Carbon Pulse this week.

EU, Canadian, and Chinese climate leaders opened the 10th Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) in Brussels on Monday, urging governments to accelerate the clean transition and use the talks to build political momentum ahead of COP31 in November.

Indonesia is set to launch its carbon credit registry in two weeks, as part of the country's push to drive finance towards the protection of its vast forests, the country's forestry minister confirmed during London Climate Action Week on Wednesday.

A subsidiary of a major steelmaking group in South Korea is leveraging its recent acquisition of an Indonesian palm oil business to explore the carbon sequestration potential of biochar.

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has launched the first of a series of modules to help organisations navigate high-integrity carbon markets. 

A project developer has said it will list biodiversity and carbon tokens by August from a project spanning 8.7 million hectares in the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo.

Learn from us - China's climate envoy on Wednesday said the disruption to global oil and gas supplies caused by the recent US-Iran conflict highlights the need for countries to accelerate their energy transition rather than rely on fossil fuels, Bloomberg reported. He argued that while some nations temporarily increased coal use to address shortages, the long-term solution is greater deployment of renewables and energy diversification. The envoy pointed to China’s large-scale investments in wind, solar, batteries, and electric vehicles, claiming that China weathered the disruption better than many Asian countries, contrasting this with energy shortages and higher costs faced elsewhere, including in India.

Malaysia's mixed signals – Malaysia's proposed carbon tax legislation is in its final drafting stage, with the government working to align it with the National Carbon Market Policy and the forthcoming National Climate Change Bill, Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong told parliament on Wednesday, as reported by New Straits Times. Liew said details including the tax rate, emissions threshold, coverage, and expected revenue have yet to be finalised. In April, the government was considering a delay to introduce the tax, amid the energy disruptions in Southeast Asia caused by the Middle East crisis.

Bankrolled – Vietnam's outstanding green credit loans have reached nearly VND 621 trillion ($24 bln), showing the financial support for the country's low-carbon transition, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Center, cited by Saigon News. Tightening carbon emissions standards, traceability, and sustainability requirements in export markets were pushing companies to adopt greener production processes and seek sustainable finance, the report added. Green credit refers to bank lending earmarked for environmentally beneficial projects, such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and other low-carbon investments.

Twelve investors and one supporter have endorsed the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), sharing a joint statement at London Climate Action Week (LCAW) and calling for more signatories ahead of the UN’s upcoming biodiversity talks in October.

Pulp friction – Indonesia's largest pulp and paper producer APRIL has weakened its no-deforestation policy and added two controversial forestry firms as suppliers, drawing criticism from environmental groups, Mongabay reported last week. It lowered its deforestation cut-off date from 2015 to the end of 2020, allowing it to source wood from PT Industrial Forest Plantation and PT Mayawana Persada, which together lost nearly 80,000 ha of forest between 2015-24, according to the report. APRIL said the change aligns with international standards such as the EU Deforestation Regulation and helps address a fibre shortage after Indonesia revoked permits affecting around 15% of its wood supply. However, a coalition of 23 NGOs said the move undermines the company's sustainability commitments, noting both suppliers continued clearing forests after 2020, including orangutan habitat and peatlands.

Intergovernmental organisation the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) signed two memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Uzbekistan, supporting the country’s sustainable agriculture and energy efficiency efforts under its Paris Agreement targets.

It's a deal - Japanese energy company Eneos will purchase credits from Tokushima Forest Bank's domestic forest projects through a long-term sales agreement. Those J-Credits will be generated through sustainable forest management activities, Eneos said in a statement, without disclosing more details. The energy major also plans to source carbon credits from agricultural projects under the J-Credit programme.

The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is seeking African projects intended to generate carbon credits through the Tokyo-led Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM).

Workers wanted - Australia's Victorian state government has published its Energy Jobs Plan, designed to boost its energy workforce by 50% by 2040. The plan is deemed critical to the state achieving its renewable energy target of 95% of electricity generation by 2035. The government estimates the plan will deliver 68,000 jobs, 37% of which will be in regional Victoria, equating to more than A$18 bln ($12.4 bln) in wages delivered to regional communities. Electricians, plumbers, construction workers, labourers, engineers, mechanics, ICT managers, admin workers, and customer services will be the most in demand jobs, according to the government.

Fossil fuel reliance will not lead to a prosperous future, said New Zealand’s opposition leader on Wednesday, pledging to put renewable energy at the heart of a future Labour government.

Import rules tighten - Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) has extended its Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme (MELS) and Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for regulated goods to include items purchased for end-use, in addition to those imported for sale, it announced. From July 1, buyers of regulated goods such as air-conditioners, refrigerators, clothes dryers, televisions, household water heaters, and three-phase induction motors will be required to register them on a government portal before importing them into Singapore. The country has also banned the advertising of non-compliant regulated goods.

Big battery boom – The Australian government has released the results of the latest Capacity Investment Scheme tender, with 15 energy storage projects, totalling 4.2 GW/16.1 GWh, successfully bidding in the tender across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and South Australia. These will strengthen grid reliability, the government said, adding that the proposed capacity target of the tender was exceeded by almost five to one, as the country has become a global leader in battery deployment. The projects are expected to unlock some A$6 bln ($4.1 bln) in private investment and A$343 mln in benefits for local communities and Australian industry, it added. At the same time, the government opened the next tender, targeting 4 GW/16 GWh of dispatchable capacity, with bids now open until Aug. 18.

A group of 10 Australians have filed a legal case with the UN claiming the Australian government is violating their human rights by continuing to support companies exporting coal and gas.

Biomass CCU push - Sumitomo Heavy Industries announced on Wednesday that it has been selected to supervise a regional carbon recycling research project, an initiative by Japan’s national research and development agency, NEDO. The project, based in the Shonai region in the Yamagata Prefecture, will focus on formulating a roadmap for a regional "green CO2 cycle" using biomass power plant carbon emissions as feedstock. The region was selected for its concentration of industries including ports, agriculture, and manufacturing, making it suitable for the study's inter-industry collaboration focus. Maeta Concrete Industry, Toho Acetyline, and Summit Sakata Power Corp will contribute research for carbon mineralisation in concrete, carbon capture, and transport. The announcement lists concrete products, liquefied CO2, agriculture and fisheries, and synthetic fuels as potential demand-side categories for the captured carbon.

Turbulent times - Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia has fallen behind on some supplier and aircraft lease payments and sought deferrals on more than a dozen planes as soaring jet fuel costs linked to the Iran conflict strain finances, Bloomberg reported. Engine maker Rolls-Royce informed AirAsia that the airline had missed payments under a maintenance agreement, while some lessors granted additional time for rental payments on over 16 aircraft. It shows the pressure building on airlines from elevated fuel costs, a factor that has also weighed on demand for CORSIA-eligible carbon credits.

A coalition of governments – including the COP30, COP31, and COP32 presidencies – have launched a platform to speed up electrification of the global economy, they announced on Tuesday as part of London Climate Action Week.

Support for a fossil fuel treaty is at its highest, with groups calling for a mechanism to manage the phasedown of fossil fuels in a just and equitable way, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Renewable energy push – The Asian Development Bank has approved a $63.44 mln financing package to boost the integration of renewable energy into Cambodia’s power system by strengthening grid stability and energy security, and bolstering cross-border power trade. The ADB said on Wednesday that the cash will support the construction of a 250 MW/500 MWh battery energy storage system at the Takeo substation, and is aimed at meeting growing demand from industrial zones, agro-processing facilities, and urban development. As well, it will support power trading with Vietnam, an area of focus for the bank, which last month announced a goal to invest $70 bln in expanding cross-border electricity trading in the region.

Australia's federal government has made an administrative determination on Woodside Energy’s Browse carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, meaning it will be assessed wholly under national environmental laws, while its associated gas development will be open to public comment.

US expansion - Sydney-headquartered New Forests, a nature-based asset investment manager, has expanded its footprint in the US with an acquisition of 44,200 acres of plantation forest in Washington State, it announced on Tuesday. The company plans to explore opportunities for carbon project development on the land while maintaining an active harvest programme. Other US-based assets are located in California, Oregon, and the southern region. This follows the kickoff last Monday of New Forests’ A$1 bln ($700 mln) equity raise for its first global fund, addressing interest from institutional investors in forestry, agriculture, and the carbon and biodiveristy markets.

Bangladesh has announced an ambitious goal to generate almost $1 billion through the sale of new carbon credits.