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TOP STORY
Indonesia’s top court quashes REDD+ project’s licence reinstatement
Indonesia’s Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling that had reinstated the operating licence of PT Rimba Raya Conservation (RRC), the concession holder of one of the world’s largest REDD+ forest carbon projects, according to a case record published on the court’s website.
ASIA PACIFIC
INTERVIEW: Why debt-for-nature swaps struggle to gain traction in Asia-Pacific
Debt-for-nature swaps have not proved as popular in the Asia-Pacific as they have across Latin America and Africa, with APAC countries agreeing just 13% of the deals agreed over 1989-2025, an economist and academic told Carbon Pulse.
Australia reaches 25% land protection milestone
Australia has protected a quarter of its land – over 196 million hectares – following the establishment of another Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), the government said on Thursday.
Agri-tech startup raises $31 mln to scale low-emission rice operations in Southeast Asia
A Singapore-based agri-tech startup has raised $31 million in a Series B financing round to scale low-emission rice production across Southeast Asia.
Western Australian conservation supported A$2.4 bln of economic activity in a year
Nature conservation across Western Australia underpinned A$2.4 billion ($1.7 bln) of economic activity across the state over 2023-24 while supporting ecosystem services and social benefits, according to a report released on Thursday.
INTERNATIONAL
Nature insurance needs broader finance architecture to scale, says UN body
Insurance products for nature will only reach their potential if they are embedded within broader biodiversity finance strategies that combine risk reduction, ecosystem restoration, sustainable financing, and supportive public policies, according to a report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Organisations sign nature positive declaration at global summit
The Kumamoto Declaration, setting out ambition towards a nature-positive future, was released at a global summit in Japan with 85 signatories from across the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
Verra biochar methodology revision would expand facility eligibility, tighten additionality tests
Production increases at existing biochar facilities could become eligible under Verra’s proposed overhaul of its biochar methodology, which would also introduce project-level additionality tests, uncertainty deductions, and expanded monitoring requirements.
EMEA
ART TREES publishes concept for Central African Republic, paves way for J-REDD+ issuance
The Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) has published the TREES Concept for the Central African Republic’s jurisdictional REDD+ programme on its registry, marking the first formal step towards potential issuance of jurisdictional forest carbon credits.
Campaigners call for rejection of EU carbon farming certification rules
Environmental groups have called on policymakers to reject the European Commission’s proposed methodologies to certify removals from carbon farming activities, saying they will consider legal action if the rules go through unchanged.
France adopts third national low-carbon strategy, with economy-wide sectoral targets
The French government announced Wednesday it has adopted its third National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC 3), setting out sectoral pathways to halve territorial greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from 1990 levels and reach carbon neutrality by 2050.
Guidance for UK govt on setting nature transition plans releases
A non-profit, a government advisor, and a research institute have published guidance for the UK government on developing sector-specific pathways for meeting national environmental targets, suggesting it could help mobilise private finance for nature.
AMERICAS
Peru significantly expands enabled carbon accounting frameworks under national registry
Peru has recognised four additional carbon crediting standards and seven methodologies under its National Registry of Mitigation Measures (RENAMI), broadening the range of eligible mitigation activities under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 mechanisms.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
ASIA PACIFIC
Migratory birds – A Seoul-headquartered chemicals company plans to push ahead with a project aimed at protecting migratory birds and endangered species, The Sportschosun reported on Thursday. The Kumho Petrochemical Group intends to run the wetland restoration programme on farmland in Yeosu, South Jeolla. The project will maintain mudflats for migratory birds to rest and feed. It is working with nature-based solutions developer ThanksCarbon to deliver the project until 2028.
Biodiversity benefits – Green Carbon, a Tokyo-headquartered project developer, has reported that using Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) irrigation in rice paddies brings biodiversity benefits. The developer conducted a study in the Philippines, assessing how AWD impacts invasive pests, ecosystem health, and biodiversity. It shared conclusions on Thursday, suggesting that AWD suppresses invasive species which depend on water, enables a greater diversity of plants to exist on site, and improves soil microorganisms.
One million seeds – A coalition of community-based organisations, environmental activists, volunteers and local citizens has launched the ambitious ‘1 Million Seeds Plantation for Coastal Restoration’ campaign to help restore Bangladesh’s fragile coastal ecosystems, Climate Watch reported. The goal is to strengthen natural coastal defences against climate change, improve biodiversity, and encourage local stewardship of the environment. The initiative aligns with Bangladesh’s nationwide 250-mln-tree plantation programme.
Oversight – Regulators in China’s Heilongjiang province have introduced new rules governing the trade of forest-based carbon sinks. These regulations aim to standardise the registration and trading of forestry carbon projects while establishing a framework to monetise ecological value and enhance ecological compensation mechanisms. Heilongjiang is one of the most forest-rich regions in China.
Paper park – The Australian subsidiary of Nippon Paper Industries has launched a softwood tree plantation and carbon credit generation project in the Green Triangle region of Victoria, it announced. The company said after operating a hardwood tree plantation business, it had decided to switch to softwood species for reforestation now that its existing plantations have reached maturity. It will gradually convert existing hardwood tree plantations into softwood, and by 2028 will establish around 1,500 ha of softwood plantations to generate Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs). Nippon said it will explore expanding to 10,000 ha as part of Phase 2 of the project. The company has already registered the carbon project (ERF208261) with the Clean Energy Regulator, and expects credits to be generated from 2027.
AMERICAS
Forest reduction – The Brazilian Senate approved a bill on Wednesday that will remove 468,000 ha from the Jamanxim National Forest in Pará and redesignate the area as an Environmental Protection Area, Folha de S. Paulo reported. The new designation provides a lower level of environmental protection and permits certain productive activities, raising concerns that it could pave the way for land grabbing and mining.
Hawaii conservation sanctuary – Governor Josh Green of Hawaii signed legislation last week to formally recognise the Hawaii Conservation Sanctuary as a hub for endangered species protection, research, education, and habitat restoration. Taking inspiration from New Zealand’s Zealandia initiative – an internationally recognized model for ecosystem restoration that protects native flora and fauna – the new Hawaiian legislation will authorise the sanctuary to operate on preserved land, engage in revenue-generating agritourism, and collaborate with the state to advance long-term conservation efforts.
EMEA
UK scraps Congo aid – The UK has scrapped or sharply reduced several aid programmes for the Congo basin, undermining its flagship COP26 pledge to mobilise £200 mln for the world’s second-largest rainforest by 2029, reports Carbon Brief. Development minister Jenny Chapman has confirmed the UK had delivered just £39.8 mln towards its Congo forest finance goal as of 2024, following successive climate-aid cuts under Conservative and Labour governments. Funding for the Congo Basin Forest Action programme has been cut from £90 mln to £18.8 mln, while the Congo component of the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund has been closed two years into a planned seven-year run. Former minister Zac Goldsmith accused the UK of “breaking promises” and squandering its leadership on nature protection.
It works – EU rules remain effective in protecting waters from agricultural nitrate pollution, a report commissioned by the EU Commission has said. The first comprehensive evaluation of the Nitrates Directive since its adoption in 1991 found it has been effective in contributing to reductions in nitrate pollution in many parts of the bloc. The report also identified opportunities to simplify its implementation, reduce administrative burden, and improve outcomes for farmers and the environment.
Sustainable farming – Three-quarters of the first batch of the funding under England’s Sustainable Farming Incentive has been allocated, the government said this week. Applications were high at first, but demand has now settled at a steady level, it said. Farmers who are eligible for the first funding window should apply soon because much of the available money has already been allocated and the remainder is limited. The second batch of capital is due to open in September.
What’s the rush – The UK government has been accused in a letter by conservationists, scientists, and businesses of rushing planning changes that could give developers permission to harm nature for just £1, reported the Guardian. A letter signed by more than 100 individuals, including the actor Stephen Fry, has urged the incoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to halt the rollout of environmental delivery plans (EDPs). These plans allow the sidestepping of environmental laws by paying a nature levy, said the letter.
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