Multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided $163 billion in climate finance in 2025, driven primarily by mitigation efforts in the energy sector, while remaining on track to meet collective 2030 financing targets despite political complexities.

An intergovernmental organisation dedicated to private and commercial law is launching a 10-week public consultation on draft principles that would provide legislative guidance regarding verified carbon credits (VCCs), it announced on Monday.

A Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer and a conservation group have signed an agreement to promote domestic biodiversity initiatives and nature positivity through 2030, according to a Monday statement.

Private investment is pouring into the global fusion industry, which is aiming to deliver commercial electricity in the 2030s, according to a report published Monday.

Benchmark ICE CORSIA Phase 1 futures rebounded above $10 per tonne last week as sources noted the slump down from nearly $20/t since the end of last year may not be as bad as some fear.

Central Asia’s first climate law – Kyrgyzstan has adopted its first framework climate law, creating a unified legal basis for emissions cuts and adaptation measures as it pursues a 2050 carbon-neutrality goal. President Sadyr Japarov signed the Law on Climate Activity on July 7 after parliamentary approval in May, with the statute due to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2027 and the Cabinet given six months to align secondary legislation. The law establishes a foundation for climate finance, carbon units and a national registry, while replacing a narrower 2007 emissions statute and formalising adaptation efforts amid accelerating glacier loss and growing hydropower and water risks. (The Times of Central Asia)

The European Commission’s executive vice president, Teresa Ribera, on Monday urged governments to clinch a “meaningful agreement” on the IMO’s net zero emissions framework for shipping at a key committee meeting in December, calling on China in particular to move from declarations to delivery on climate action at sea.

Singapore is building an integrated carbon market ecosystem that fills financing, innovation, and demand gaps, positioning itself as Asia's hub for scaling high-integrity carbon projects and Article 6 markets.

Forest fires have overtaken logging as the leading driver of the decline in the world's remaining intact forest landscapes, according to a new analysis of Global Nature Watch data published on Monday.

Going down - The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects global oil demand to decline in 2026 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, as the conflict involving Iran and disruption to Middle East energy supplies weaken economic activity and reduce fuel consumption, CNBC reports. The agency forecasts demand will fall by around 80,000 bpd this year, reversing its previous expectation of growth. The downgrade follows what the IEA has described as the largest oil supply disruption in history, triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on regional energy infrastructure. While supply has begun recovering following a ceasefire, demand remains under pressure from high prices, weaker industrial activity, and measures introduced by governments to curb fuel consumption. The IEA expects oil consumption to recover modestly in 2027 as markets stabilise and production rebounds. The revised outlook contrasts with OPEC's more optimistic long-term demand forecasts but highlights the lasting economic impact of the Middle East conflict, according to the reporting.

Dumping ground - The EU’s electric car tariffs succeeded in reducing the market share of EVs made in China, according to T&E analysis of the trade measures. But while the share of electric cars produced in China by western brands fell, imports from Chinese brands continued to grow. To avoid Europe becoming a dumping ground for Chinese EVs, T&E called for further trade measures including tariffs on Chinese batteries.

CCS course steady - Korea National Oil Corp. (KNOC) is pressing ahead with its cross‑border carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Southeast Asia, Pulse reported. The state‑run firm has launched an international tender for a reservoir development simulation study, to be conducted with a regional oil company and led by Hyundai Engineering & Construction. The contract will assess storage capacity in two depleted oil and gas fields and run CO2 injection simulations to test long‑term viability and safety, the report added.

CoolRice launch - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and Japanese research partners have launched CoolRice, a one-year initiative to advance heat-tolerant rice breeding and low-emission cultivation practices across Asia. The project aims to strengthen the scientific and technical foundations for climate-resilient rice production by combining crop breeding, climate analytics, agronomy, and greenhouse gas mitigation research, with partners agreeing a roadmap for future collaboration during a workshop held at IRRI headquarters in the Philippines.

Two Japanese organisations have joined to set up a pilot crediting project that will measure the nature positive impacts of blue carbon activities by using environmental DNA (eDNA).

In a first for South Korea, a leading financial group has established a pilot blind fund dedicated to international offset projects that support the country's climate targets.

A multi-company partnership for sustainability and a London-based bank have jointly launched a programme to coach high-potential initiatives in the nature-based solutions (NbS) space across the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkiye (MENAT), and Southeast Asia.

A London‑based financial services platform has taken a “bold” long‑term position on aviation compliance credits, with senior executives saying the firm is structurally long on CORSIA‑eligible units and is leaving most of its exposure to future prices unhedged.

Soil carbon cooperation - Taiwan Carbon Solution Exchange has signed a MoU with the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute to promote the development of soil carbon projects, the government-backed exchange said Monday. It follows the release of a domestic offset methodology for agricultural soil management practices in March, which adopts the quantitative approach of the international method VM0042 and suits Taiwan's agricultural conditions. The methodology aims to encourage farmers to use organic materials or reduce tillage for carbon sequestration.  

Japan is seeking to address the vintage issue and lasting supply bottleneck under the Tokyo-led Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) in the coming years, amid growing concerns over the trajectory of the bilateral crediting programme beyond 2030.

Manufacturing money - The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched a A$10 mln ($6.9 mln) co-investment fund to help Australian SME manufacturers reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and transition away from fossil fuels. The fund is being delivered by the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre (AMGC) and will support implementing electrification and other low-emissions technologies. It is focusing on three key areas: surface treatment, process steam, and metals processing, according to AMGC. Applications are currently open until Dec. 31, 2027, with eligible projects of A$400,000 - 1 mln eligible to receive up to 50% of matched funds.

Campaign pressure - At least eight Nordic, British, and American pension funds and investors have voted against the re-election of directors at several Japanese banks and trading houses, with some citing “severe ESG controversies” as their rationale, at the urging of Australian environmental campaigning organisation Market Forces. The campaign resulted in a 21.47% “against” vote for the board chair of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, with Nordic companies KLP and Storebrand specifically claiming “failure by the board to proficiently guard against and manage material ESG risks.” The votes are the result of Market Forces’ campaign launched in April to hold Japanese companies accountable for governance and climate risk management issues.

Total traded volumes of carbon credits in the financial year ending last month was down some 20% year-on-year, according to recent analysis.

Malaysia’s institutional investors are embedding climate into governance and investment frameworks, with more than half now recognising climate change as a financial risk or an opportunity. 

Conservation collaboration - Scientific body the Cawthorn Institute has signed a new relationship agreement with the New Zealand government's Department of Conservation to strengthen collaboration on aquatic science, conservation, and innovation, it announced. The agreement sets out how the two organisations will work together on shared priorities, including research that improves outcomes for aquatic species and ecosystems, strengthens the management of conservation threats, and supports practical action. It also outlines principles for collaboration and provides greater clarity for research involving aquatic species in purpose-built facilities, the institute said. 

Seaweed subsidies - The Japanese Ministry of the Environment opened applications on Friday for the second round of its JPY 300 mln ($1.85 mln) subsidy program for carbon removal projects, naming blue carbon, biochar, and carbon-absorbing concrete as some potential measures. For blue carbon, the application calls specifically for seaweed projects. The subsidy programme will grant up to JPY 100 mln per project, per year, for a maximum of three fiscal years starting FY2026. The application period closes on Aug. 17, and selection decisions will be made in early October.

Conversions converging - ASX-listed electrification company Janus Electric has grown its US order book to 20 diesel-to-electric truck conversions with a gross contract value of around A$10 mln ($6.9 mln), the company announced in a filing. It said 45 vehicle conversions are now contracted across North America, comprising of 20 US conversions and 25 conversions in Canada. The increase in its US order book follows a deal signed by Janus  with Ability Tri-Modal, the company's first US fleet customer. It is also exploring opportunities with mining, linehaul, and quarry operators in Australia, according to the filing.

Korea-Guatemala REDD+ - Guatemala is assessing the feasibility of a REDD+ project that could enable the country to participate in carbon credit markets, with support from the Korea Forest Service (KFS), the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food (MAGA) announced this week. Last November, the Central American country received a $24 mln payment from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) from a REDD+ national initiative. In May 2025, Guatemala was one of the countries targeted by the KFS for official development assistance in REDD+.