EU ETS revenues from the aviation sector could increase tenfold in the next 15 years if emissions from international flights and greenhouse gases other than CO2 were included in the market, according to analysis released on Monday.

A win is a win - The USDA will spend more than $100 mln to protect state- and private-owned forests, E&E News reported Friday. The agency said it would support projects in 10 states through the Forest Legacy Program, which helps localities maintain forests through easements and land purchases.

SAF SAF hooray - Cellulose-based product developer Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with biofuels developer GranBio to jointly explore the development of a small-scale commercial cellulosic SAF facility co-located at RYAM’s Jesup, Georgia site in the US, the companies announced Thursday. GranBio will lead the proposed project to convert lignocellulosic biomass into second-generation ethanol, which will be upgraded into SAF for sale to an unnamed offtaker.

Producers continued to reduce their net lengths across the California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) and the RGGI Allowance (RGAs), opting to close out long V25 positions in both markets, the latest figures from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) showed Friday.

Covered emissions under RGGI fell over 2% year-on-year (YoY) in Q2, preliminary programme data showed on Friday, following two quarters of precipitous growth.

The US DOE casts doubt on the impact of anthropogenic CO2 and other GHGs on the nation’s climate and economy, as per a working group report published for public comment on Friday.   

Road (not) to Belem? – Diplomats from 25 countries have suggested that Brazil hold COP30, either entirely or partially, in another city if the issue of exorbitant prices in Belem is not resolved soon. Less developed countries, the African Group of Negotiators, as well as nations such as Canada, Finland, and Switzerland, signed the document, Folha de S.Paulo reported. The group requested that the Brazilian government ensure minimum acceptable price conditions for participants. The Extraordinary Secretary for COP30, representing the Brazilian government, told Folha that there is no possibility the climate conference will be held anywhere other than Belem. In an interview with local outlet G1, Andre Correa do Lago, president of COP30, stated that there is a sense of revolt with the high costs, particularly among developing countries, which are pressuring Brazil. While accommodation prices at previous COPs typically doubled or tripled, in Belem, prices have risen by as much as 15 times, according to the ambassador.

Bolivia anticipates it will in Q1 2026 “obtain” sovereign carbon credits and is open to harnessing other market-based nature and climate finance instruments, an official said this week, cementing a dramatic policy shift carried forward since a high court legalised carbon markets last summer.

The decline in seed-dispersing animals and their movement significantly affects the carbon accumulation potential of regrowing tropical forests, a new peer-reviewed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study has found.

An Illinois agribusiness company that reported a leaking CO2 monitoring well last year said that it will soon be resuming injection activities after a nine-month pause.

As the US undergoes rapid growth in electricity demand, states served by the PJM Interconnection, including participating in RGGI, are expected to see growth of 4% in 2025 and 2026, while Texas is projected to witness the largest increase nationwide, according to an analysis published Thursday by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Wyoming legislators have scrapped an effort to repeal the state’s low-carbon energy mandate, including a carbon capture requirement for coal plants, after a divided vote Tuesday in a joint committee.

Kenyan REDD+ Nesting Guidelines launched Monday in Nairobi have been crafted to ensure that both site-scale and subnational jurisdictional REDD+ initiatives retain direct access to the market, as per the text shared this week with Carbon Pulse.

"Kiss my ass" - Washington state has banned and fined Climate Care Innovations (CCI) $425,000 for falsely claiming to own nearly $200 mln worth of carbon allowances. According to The Seattle Times, the Arizona-based company, led by John Jensen, was never authorised to hold such allowances under Washington’s carbon market rules and is accused of misleading potential buyers. The newspaper reported that CCI was registered as an offset project operator with Washington in summer 2023 and twice attempted to register as a “covered entity” that would allow it to trade allowances, though the applications were denied both times. Despite repeated outreach, CCI stopped responding to regulators after initially contacting the state to inquire about selling allowances. Its website claimed ownership of over 3.3 mln WCAs and a “significant number” of EUAs, possibly to inflate the company’s value and attract investors. The website was taken down late last month. Washington’s Department of Ecology has now revoked CCI’s registration and barred it from future participation, marking the first ban issued under the state’s Cap-and-Invest programme. The incident prompted the agency to tighten vetting and clarify rules. Meanwhile, CCI and its parent entity, the Prolific Fund, are said to be under investigation in Arizona for securities fraud. Prolific's holdings also include Kompo Green Inc., Botanlytics Inc., and FOD (Family Office Development) LLC. The Arizona Corporation Commission also alleges Jensen and his associates sold unregistered carbon-related investments and misrepresented their holdings, including claims of 2 bln verified credits. Jensen is contesting Arizona’s charges. SEC filings show that as of Oct. 2024, one of Jensen’s companies claimed to have sold $266,000 in securities to at least 104 investors. In Washington, Jensen denies wrongdoing, attributing the situation to miscommunication and health-related absences. He claims Ecology gave his company the allowances, a point the agency disputes. Jensen told the Seattle Times that he plans to sue Ecology, and when asked if he will pay the fine, he said the department can “kiss my ass”. California state officials also confirmed to the paper that CCI was previously denied entry to their carbon market for failing to complete registration requirements.

A US appeals court on Friday upheld a Biden administration rule that limits the use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), rejecting arguments from chemical industry stakeholders that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) overstepped its authority.

European carbon allowances weakened on Friday but showed greater resilience than gas as global markets were shaken by the White House's decision to follow through with its tariff policy, beginning on Aug. 7.

A growing number of companies is expected to participate in carbon markets, although accounting gaps risk undermining the sector's credibility, according to a study released on Wednesday by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School.

Wind, solar required - Some Senate Republicans are sending up flares the Trump administration’s push to block solar and wind projects could further stress power demand challenges, E&E News reported. The outlets wrote the push comes on the heels of the Interior Department’s new secretarial order calling for the identification of any so-called preferred treatment towards solar facilities in current regulations, policy, and agency practices.

The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) released on Friday its revised draft of the simplified and scaled back sustainability reporting requirements for companies subject to the bloc's reporting rules.

Keep going – In Brazil, the government of Pará state is conducting its seventh round of free, prior, and informed consultation (FPIC) for its jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) system. This week, the State Secretariat for Environment, Climate, and Sustainability (SEMAS) is holding workshops and gathering contributions from quilombola communities – descendants of Africans who escaped slavery – in the Lower Amazon Integration Region. Brazil's Federal Public Prosecutors' Office (MPF) is pressuring Para to suspend its $180 mln J-REDD+ programme, and has pointed concerns with the FPIC process led by SEMAS.

A just transition - Serbia's government has launched a Just Energy Transition Plan document out to 2030, setting out measures to reduce any negative effects of the energy transition, such as through investments in retraining and reskilling. It also suggests the country could adopt a phased carbon pricing system to reduce the impact of the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on its industries, which it recognises would make domestic coal power increasingly uncompetitive. In 2023, Serbia had just over 25,000 people employed in thermal power plants and coal mines. (Balkan Green Energy News)

If extending the EU ETS to municipal waste incineration, the European Commission should consider including the entire sector to avoid waste leakage and ensure that all those responsible for the pollution are taxed, industry associations and NGOs have said.

A global trade body for carbon market auditors has rejected claims from an academic report that casts doubt on the credibility of third-party verification in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), warning that a mischaracterisation risks undermining trust in a critical assurance function.

Impact investment fund Camco has launched a new $100 million fund called TIDES to support development of solar, wind, and mini-grid projects in six Pacific nations.

The UK’s carbon capture industry is working to develop a revenue stream that makes it a self-sustaining industry – but in the meantime, it needs government support to assuage risks around the country’s first projects, according to an industry representative. 

Clean power developers in emerging and developing economies (EMDEs) continued to face significantly higher financing costs than their counterparts in advanced economies in 2024, according to survey results released Friday.

Restoring degraded ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, and wetlands could remove up to 97 billion tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere by 2100, amounting to just 4-12% of projected emissions in the same time period, claims a study, which recommended focusing on deep emissions cuts instead.

Malaysia will introduce a National Carbon Market Policy and launch an emissions trading scheme (ETS) as part of its 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed this week, in a move towards formalising the country’s carbon market infrastructure.

European companies may have offset emissions using carbon credits from projects potentially operating wrongfully, a media organisation reported this week.

Vatican goes green - The Vatican City in Rome is aiming to become the world's first carbon-neutral state by sourcing nearby solar power. Italy agreed plans on Thursday to allow a 430-ha field north of Rome into a solar farm to produce electricity for the Vatican's consumption. Italy will be able to use the power produced towards its EU clean energy targets and any surplus power shall go to the local community. (Associated Press)

Calling all innovators - Applications are now open for BE100 - a competition to find, fund, and scale the next wave of high-impact businesses for environmental protection. Run by the Blue Earth Summit, BE100 calls on entrepreneurs to apply and be judged against four key criteria: breakthrough innovation, proven or potential environmental impact, commercial viability, and team strength. The top 100 highest-scoring businesses will be invited to this year's summit, and 30 finalists will pitch live for a shot at being crowned one of three BE100 winners. Applications are open until Sep. 5, see here.  

Thailand’s Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) this week launched a month-long public consultation on three draft methodologies under its Premium T-VER programme, covering protocols for carbon capture in concrete, biochar production, and refrigerant reclamation.

A US oil and gas producer used a carbon credit portfolio weighted toward landfill methane capture and predominantly domestic offsets to maintain Scope 1 and 2 carbon neutrality in one of its major operational regions in 2024, according to its latest sustainability report released Wednesday.

A new version of a UK forest carbon crediting standard launched on Friday, incorporating changes from the consultation feedback such as changes to the minimum project duration to align with international standards.

The UK's grid operator has launched an £8 billion partnership to expand transmission infrastructure and bring more clean energy online by engaging with regional suppliers.

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA‑NEPAD) has launched a continent-wide initiative to enhance carbon market governance, introducing new integrity and equity principles, a regional coordination mechanism, and a digital platform to support readiness under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Permits in China's national emissions market over the past week fell to the lowest level in around six weeks amid mounting selling pressure, but weekly trading volumes remained relatively stable.

New platform - Indian sustainability company Compliance Kart has launched a blockchain-powered trading platform named ENVR, to enable the trading of carbon credits and international renewable energy certificates (I-REC), it announced. The platform will support projects ranging from renewable energy to forestry, connect verified buyers and sellers, as well as foster transparent and secure transactions, the company said.

Shell connection - The firm appointed to run media for COP 30 also works for oil giant Shell, Climate Home News reported. UN awarded Edelman, which is also the world's largest PR firm, an $835,000 contract to handle global media outreach, produce digital content, and manage any communications crises during the November summit. The investigation found that the same executive overseeing the firm’s work with Shell in Brazil - where the energy company is ramping up oil and gas output - will also work on the COP30 contract.

Tasmania connection - Australia approved the A$3.9 bln ($2.5 bln) Marinus Link, a 345-km undersea power cable that will connect Tasmania’s hydro-heavy grid to the mainland, aiming to slash emissions and curb coal reliance. Set for completion by 2030, the project will export surplus renewable energy to major cities like Sydney and Melbourne. The cable is expected to power 750,000 homes and support Australia’s target to reach 82% renewables by the end of the decade.

Indonesia CCUS - The Southeast Asian country is expected to receive $10-15 bln in CCUS investment from oil majors like ExxonMobil, Shell and BP, local media Hijau Bisnis reported, citing Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. The minister added that the investment will go towards a "carbon warehouse" and capturing emissions from coal.

TL tries for LDC leadership - Timor-Leste will run for presidency of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) group ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, in November, Portuguese language news service Lusa said this week. It is one of only three Southeast Asian nations in the grouping of 45. The small nation has a negligible emissions footprint despite its single largest source of revenue for many years being an offshore gas field operated by an Australian company.

New forest-based project - Japanese gas company Inpex will work on a carbon credit project in Gunma prefecture with a forest conservation foundation and data solution provider Aero Toyota, according to a company statement. The three parties have agreed to enter a binding agreement to conduct the project, which can generate around 16,300 J-Credits over eight years from roughly 325 hectares of forest owned by the foundation. Inpex is also engaged in other lower-carbon solutions, such as CCS and hydrogen.

Regional efforts - Japanese project developer Creattura has concluded a collaboration agreement with a local government to generate domestically issued J-Credits in Sosa city, Chiba prefecture, it announced Friday. The alliance seeks to convert environmental value into carbon credits and return the revenues to the community to promote regional revitalisation. Meanwhile, Stellar Green said it has teamed up with two local partners to pursue the creation of carbon credits using forest resources in Hokkaido.

The first quarter 2025 credit and deficit generation report of California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) showed a drop in the surplus that has been incrementally increasing since Q1 2024.

The voluntary carbon market (VCM) has in the first six months of this year seen on average higher retirements, more unique buyers, and bigger offtake volumes than in 2024, according to a report published Thursday by a carbon market analytics platform.

Three's a crowd - Colombia-based international voluntary carbon standard Cercarbono on Wednesday signed an MoU with Ecuador's Ministry of Environment, Water and Ecological Transition (MAATE) to build out the country's national GHG compensation scheme. The agreement follows similar announcements from BioCarbon and Gold Standard this month, in which they separately agreed to provide technical support to the Ecuador Zero Carbon Programme (PECC). PECC is a voluntary corporate emissions accounting, reduction, and offsetting scheme. It has three tiers of climate action – quantification, reduction, and carbon neutrality with offsets – but no corporates have achieved carbon neutrality status under the programme to date. In total, around 612 businesses and institutions are voluntarily associated with PECC, according to a May MAATE press release.

California Carbon Allowance (CCAs) bumped up after weeks of flatter prices, while Washington Carbon Allowance (WCAs) continued to inch up to reach a year-to-date (YtD) high, as activity around both markets continued to be largely muted.