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TOP STORY
INTERVIEW: Latin America risks losing long-term nature finance without local-level institutional reforms
Latin America could miss out on international nature finance unless it shifts its focus from mere project delivery to strengthening local institutions and community leadership, according to a climate policy expert.
AMERICAS
Trump administration guts two conservation areas, shrinking protected lands by over 1 mln ha
President Donald Trump signed two proclamations Monday to reduce areas under federal conservation by over 1 million hectares, claiming it was a counterbalance to “government overreach on public land”.
Non-profits sue Trump administration over changes to wildlife protections
Nine conservation groups have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over its decision to reduce protections for wildlife habitat against extractive activities.
ASIA PACIFIC
Australia sees 1.5 mln ha of land cleared in Great Barrier Reef catchments, analysis shows
Almost 1.5 million hectares of land has been cleared in Great Barrier Reef catchments over the last decade, primarily to make way for beef pastures, according to analysis published Wednesday.
INTERNATIONAL
Demand remains steady but prices fall across voluntary carbon market in Q2 -analysts
Demand across the voluntary carbon market (VCM) remained steady in the first half of 2026 after a large retirement from a US oil and gas company helped to keep pace with 2025’s record level, according to data from an analytics firm.
Isometric launches soil carbon protocol, registers first developers
Carbon removal registry and certification body Isometric on Wednesday announced a new improved soil management protocol, with three project developers already registered to generate carbon removal certificates under the framework.
Direct storage of biomass could remove 115 mln tCO2e annually, issue brief says
A new issue brief recommends a path to scale direct storage of biomass (DSB) to a larger American market.
CDR should be treated as public infrastructure, researchers say
Carbon removal (CDR) should be treated as essential public infrastructure rather than primarily as a tradable commodity, with compliance markets, public mandates, and public investment used to support community ownership, according to a new study.
NbS urban monitoring should move beyond standardised frameworks -paper
The monitoring of nature-based solutions in cities should be reframed as a learning process built on community involvement rather than using only standardised frameworks, a paper has argued.
EMEA
Nature-based developer, Japanese utility look to generate carbon credits in Tanzania
A developer of nature-based carbon removals is teaming up with a Japanese power company to develop projects in Tanzania under the Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), it announced on Wednesday.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
ASIA PACIFIC
Partner up – New Zealand biodiversity credit standard setter Ekos has announced a partnership with McHugh & Shaw and Wildland Consultants. The consultancies will provide validation and verification for projects looking to generate credits under the voluntary Ekos BioCredita programme, Ekos said on LinkedIn on Wednesday. In Nov. 2025, BioCredita was validated against a set of principles developed by the UN-backed Biodiversity Credit Alliance (BCA). (Carbon Pulse)
Going blue – Rubicon Carbon is exploring the development of a mangrove restoration project in Indonesia’s North Java region, local media reported on Wednesday. The company and Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries have discussed a 50,000-70,000 ha development on the northern coast. Local communities are expected to play an important role in project implementation. In June, Rubicon opened an office in Singapore as part of its Asian expansion efforts.
Fair share – Abang Johari Openg, premier of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, has said that the federal government was receptive to the push from states to receive their fair share of revenue from carbon trading, local media reported on Wednesday. Last month, Openg proposed that Sabah and Sarawak, both highly forested states, should receive 70% of the carbon tax revenue collected by Malaysia, since the two serve as the country’s largest carbon sinks. The Southeast Asian country is currently finalising its carbon tax legislation.
More accuracy – Startup Archeda has released a paper detailing high-resolution forest biomass mapping across Japan, developed in partnership with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the country’s remote sensing technology centre. This research, using remote sensing and machine learning, presents new insights that can improve transparency and reliability in technologies for assessing forest carbon stocks, the company said. Archeda also said it will work to advance the MRV process for the creation of carbon credits.
Indian scheme – India has launched a voluntary certification scheme rewarding companies for sharing benefits derived from biological resources, according to the biodiversity finance initiative BIOFIN led by the UN Environmental Programme. The Voluntary Certification Scheme for Incentivization of Access and Benefit Sharing (VCS-I-ABS) allows businesses complying with national ABS rules to obtain certification and use an official logo, turning biodiversity compliance into a market differentiator.
EMEA
Holy growth – Church of England has voted against plans this week to restore 30% of its land for nature, with one member saying it was inconsistent with its responsibility to ensure long-term capital growth, reported the Guardian. A reverend in Oxford had introduced a private motion calling for the restoration by 2030, in line with the UK’s national targets. Instead, it passed an amendment with steps to support nature restoration such as engaging with tenants on sustainable farming. The church’s investment arm owns about 42,500 ha of land, 3.5% of which is used for nature restoration.
Do not touch – Portuguese environmental groups FAPAS and Zero have criticised plans for this year’s Volta a Portugal cycling race to pass through the Peneda-Geres National Park, warning the accompanying convoy could disturb one of the country’s most sensitive protected areas, The Resident reported. The organisations are seeking clarification from authorities over whether the required environmental approvals were obtained before the route was authorised.
AMERICAS
Green guidelines – Colombia’s Ministry of Environment published new guidelines to help integrate sustainable productive initiatives and green businesses into environmental projects seeking public funding, per a Wednesday release. The document provides a common framework for agencies across the National Environmental System (SINA) to incorporate bioeconomy objectives into project design, funding calls, and evaluation processes, while promoting greater coordination across conservation, restoration, and sustainable production programmes supported through environmental financing mechanisms.
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