**NOTICE: To mark Carbon Pulse’s 10-year anniversary and to better serve our subscribers with more targeted content, we are expanding and segmenting our news and intelligence into three specialised products. Read our FAQs to help you understand and prepare for our new offering.**
Carbon Pulse’s free Nature & Biodiversity Pulse newsletter – a twice-weekly summary of our news, plus bite-sized updates from around the world. Subscribe here
TOP STORY
BRIEFING: Surprise and relief – Pulp and printed product companies react to delayed rollout of EU’s anti-deforestation law
The European Parliament’s final decision to delay the bloc’s regulation on deforestation-free products this week has been met with surprise and relief across paper, pulp, and publishing sectors, Carbon Pulse heard Thursday.
INTERVIEW: UK biodiversity net gain change is a blow but not a disaster
Exemptions for developers to the English biodiversity net gain (BNG) legislation have expanded for sites of 0.2 hectares, a climbdown from the proposed 0.5 ha area, providing slight relief for the market.
POLICY
UK sets up marine fund to compensate for nature damage from offshore wind
The UK government has announced the establishment of a new fund to enable offshore wind developers to support marine recovery while accelerating the deployment of clean energy.
ADB approves $10 mln forest, rural development financing for Laos
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved $10 million in financing to support forest restoration and diversify rural economies in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), it announced Thursday.
Sweden issues fresh call for bio-CCS plants, offering funding of more than $1 bln
Sweden has issued a new call for companies to apply for a carbon capture and storage (CCS) scheme that has more than $1 billion in funding available.
MDBs seek to mainstream biodiversity across portfolios and country programmes -webinar
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) need to move from high-level biodiversity commitments and strategies to concrete implementation through financial instruments and country programmes, a webinar heard on Wednesday.
European Parliament signs off on delayed rollout of anti-deforestation law
The European Parliament rubber-stamped a political agreement on Wednesday, reached earlier this month, to postpone and simplify the implementation of the EU’s regulation on deforestation-free products.
Over €7 trillion of EU economy exposed to nature-related risks
More than €7 trillion of EU economic production and imports are highly exposed to financial risk stemming from nature degradation, a non-profit has said.
EU countries making mixed progress on national restoration plans, report says
Some EU countries are leading the way in the implementation of the bloc’s Nature Restoration Law (NRL), though overall progress is insufficient, according to a report published on Thursday.
Nature-based innovation should be written into NDCs -report
Climate policy frameworks should formally integrate bio-inspired approaches into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), alongside new metrics that go beyond emissions outcomes, researchers said in a new study.
Over 80% of deforestation in Brazilian Amazon, Cerrado over past 15 years ‘not authorised’ -analysis
Unauthorised deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and Cerrado accounted for 86% of the total between 2009-24, a new analysis has found.
SCIENCE & TECH
Ocean may absorb more CO2 than previously thought due to air bubbles, scientists say
The ocean may have absorbed up to 15% more CO2 than previously thought thanks to the effect of air bubbles under waves that enable better gas absorption by seawater, a new scientific study has found.
NATURE & BIODIVERSITY MARKET
Biodiversity credit stacking is more popular than bundling, analysts say
Stacking separately-issued nature and carbon credits from the same land is nearly three times as popular as bundling outcomes into single units, according to market analysts.
NATURE-BASED CARBON
FEATURE: Agtech eyes carbon markets to spur solutions for livestock emissions
Responsible for an estimated 14.5% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, projects tackling livestock emissions have historically covered a very small part of the carbon market – but developers are preparing to go mainstream, with methodologies under Verra in development and poised for submission next year.
Verra to pilot durability alternatives to buffer pool in land-use, geological projects
Carbon crediting standard Verra will pilot new durability mechanisms to manage the risk of carbon credit reversals in land-use and geological storage projects, it said Monday.
Zambian J-REDD+ programme signs nesting agreement with 2.1 mln ha project
A Zambian province’s jurisdictional REDD+ programme has signed a nesting agreement with a longstanding, large-scale REDD+ project, removing roadblocks to continued crediting in the nested project area.
UK carbon standard to clarify rules in January amid push to expand crediting
A UK standard has announced plans to issue a clarification to its crediting framework in January, alongside a series of initiatives aimed at improving monitoring, market transparency and project uptake across the land carbon sector, it said Wednesday.
Carbon market convergence “a turning point” for climate finance, say analysts
Voluntary and regulated carbon markets are converging, a development that could mark a “turning point” for climate finance, according to a new research paper.
Brazilian state law lays legal groundwork for jurisdictional carbon programme
A Brazilian state has approved new legislation aimed at enabling participation in voluntary carbon markets and the establishment of a jurisdictional programme.
US outdoor retailer buys majority of first CCP-labelled IFM credits under revised Verra methodology
A Seattle-based outdoor retailer is scooping up the lion’s share of credits first issued under Verra’s revised improved forest management (IFM) methodology.
Vietnamese province advances forest carbon trading scheme, clears way for developers -media
A central Vietnamese province working on a pilot forest carbon trading scheme has authorised a consortium led by a regional carbon credit trading platform to conduct field surveys for new nature-based projects, local media reported.
CORPORATE
INTERVIEW: Carbon company seeks permanent ecological restoration in Latin America
A nature-based carbon developer is aiming to achieve permanent large-scale restoration focused on projects with biodiversity outcomes.
Tech giant buys 29k ERW credits from German-Brazilian startup
A US-based tech giant has reached an agreement with a German-Brazilian enhanced rock weathering (ERW) startup for 28,500 credits from the South American country.
Biodiversity credits used as collateral in equity-backed deal to finance clean energy
A UK-based startup has monetised and exchanged biodiversity credits through an equity-based transaction to back clean energy technologies in the US, it announced this week.
Partners launch carbon project in Indonesia
Two organisations have partnered to launch a new forest protection carbon project covering approximately 160,000 hectares in East Kalimantan, marking a significant expansion of long-term conservation efforts in the province.
Carbon removal for UK aviation likely to come with high price tag, analysis warns
Cutting the UK aviation sector’s trajectory to net zero could cost up to hundreds of pounds per tonne of CO2, depending on which carbon removal technologies are used, according to a new report.
US timberland owner targets 1.2 mln forest carbon credits by 2030
A large US timberland owner has outlined plans to expand its forest carbon project portfolio, expecting issuance volumes from its forest carbon projects to increase to more than 1.2 million by 2030.
British biochar startup secures £4 mln for domestic and European expansion
A UK startup active in biochar carbon removal has secured £4 million in a late seed funding round to expand operations across Northwest England and speed up entry into northern Europe.
Mitsui OSK Lines taps carbon removals registry as part of net zero strategy
Japan’s Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) has picked a carbon removals registry to issue credits in line with the shipping company’s goal for net zero emissions by 2050, it announced on Wednesday.
Method choices underpin divergence in corporate ecosystem condition assessments -study
Methodological differences in measuring ecosystem condition have contributed to uncertainty in corporate biodiversity assessments, an academic paper found.
—————————————————
BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
POLICY
Marine restoration – NGOs Seas at Risk, ClientEarth, and Oceana published on Tuesday a policy briefing on how to implement the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) in the marine environment. The group said the document aims to support stakeholders and policymakers in better understanding how the NRR may affect their work and to improve its effective implementation across member states, including through participation in the development of National Restoration Plans.
Wiped out – The UK government this week shared information about its upcoming ban on wet wipes made with plastic, confirming it will apply to products for babies, make-up removal, household cleaning, and more. Sales will be banned in England from May 19, 2027, a day later than in Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, the rules will take effect earlier in Scotland and Wales, with both countries set to enforce the ban during 2026. Wet wipes not made with plastic are excluded from the ban, as are those produced for medical use and for certain business activities.
Irish metric – The Irish transport state agency has published details of a biodiversity metric for road and rail projects. The document from Transport Infrastructure Ireland seeks to provide a consistent, transparent, and scientifically robust framework for reporting of potential biodiversity impacts from its projects. It has developed two Excel-based toolkits – an Options Appraisal Toolkit for early-stage project planning, and a Full Biodiversity Metric Toolkit for use during detailed environmental assessment.
Kootenay forest protection – Canada, British Columbia, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and other public and private stakeholders are partnering on conserving 45,000 ha of forest in the Kootenays. Through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund, Environment and Climate Change Canada is contributing C$20 mln ($14.5 mln) to complete the Kootenay Forest Lands projects to deliver lasting benefits for biodiversity, climate resilience, and community value.
Indigenous leadership – Canada pledged C$19.6 mln to 82 Indigenous-Led Natural Climate Solutions, First Nations Guardian initiatives, and Indigenous Partnerships for Species at Risk. The government said the funding would support Indigenous leadership in efforts to fight climate change, protect species at risk, restore ecosystems, and cut GHG emissions while safeguarding nature, creating meaningful jobs in remote communities, strengthening cultural connections, and promoting sustainable economic growth.
Nature unlocked – The UK government has published the implementation plan for their previously announced Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) to streamline how developers meet environmental obligations while improving outcomes for nature. Delivered by Natural England through area-based Environmental Delivery Plans (EDPs), the NRF will allow developers where an EDP is in place to pay a levy instead of undertaking site-by-site mitigation. Funds will be pooled to deliver strategic conservation measures at scale, with a legal requirement that by the end of each EDP environmental gains materially outweigh development impacts on conservation status. Initial EDPs will focus on nutrient pollution linked to nutrient neutrality and housing delays, with plans to expand to other species and habitats over time.
Coastal cash splash – The Asian Development Bank has approved a grant of $16.7 mln for initiatives in Fiji to protect coastal communities, it said in a Wednesday press release. The Enhancing Climate Resilience of Coastal Communities Sector Project will benefit around 15 communities, the bank said, through the provision of nature-based coastal protection measures. It will also support revegetation and mangrove plantings to restore around 3,000 metres of coastline and riverbanks, as well as strengthen institutional capacity to design, implement, and manage coastal protection measures.
REDD hot cash – Brazil has received results-based payments for around 80 Mt of reported REDD+ avoided deforestation, UN data showed. Multiple entities, including several European governments, have now paid for the mitigation, according to documents published on the UNFCCC’s REDD+ Information Hub on Wednesday. The results came from protection of the Amazon rainforest across 2017-19. Payment totals were not provided.
CORPORATE
Colossal commitment – The Colossal Foundation, the non-profit arm of Colossal Biosciences, the world’s first de-extinction company, announced on Wednesday an additional $50 mln in secured funding. The allocation brings the total to $100 mln since its launch just over a year ago, the company said in a press release. The foundation seeks to scale and accelerate efforts to protect wildlife, restore ecosystems, and build a resilient genetic safety net for species worldwide.
For peat’s sake – Volkswagen’s climate investment programme ClimatePartner has agreed to restore 60 ha of peatland on a farm in Perthshire, Scotland. The site on Carroglen Farm is anticipated to bring about biodiversity uplift, enhanced water quality, and work for local contractors. The initiative forecasts emission reductions of over 12,000 tonnes of CO2e over the project’s 100-year lifespan. Funding from ClimatePartner will support ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
Integrating accounting – The Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials (PBAF) will integrate into the Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) Foundation from 2026, following the signing of an LoI, they announced Wednesday. The integration aims to strengthen support for financial institutions assessing and managing biodiversity-related impacts and dependencies. PBAF will become part of the new FfB hub, a platform offering practical guidance, peer collaboration, and knowledge-sharing for financial institutions, including those that have not signed the FfB pledge. The PBAF Standard brand will be retained, with an independent standards committee overseeing its development.
Electric TNFD – Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has reported that under its scenario analysis sudden degradation of water supply services could lead to temporary business suspension, with the risk assessed as having a medium to high likelihood. The finding came in the company’s first Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) report, which summarised the company’s dependence on nature, impact on the natural environment, and associated business risks and opportunities. The firm said it is striving to be a frontrunner in nature-positive by enhancing biodiversity.
Spin the… – Pinwheel has announced a partnership with Agreena to expand access to nature-based carbon removal through regenerative agriculture. In its first phase, Pinwheel retired 18,000 tCO2e of Agreena’s verified soil carbon credits for a major global client, reflecting growing demand for high-integrity removal with ecological and community benefits, it said Wednesday. Agreena’s programme removes carbon while improving soil health, water retention, biodiversity, and farm resilience. The partners assessed how the solution fits within a diversified carbon portfolio and permanently retired the credits to avoid double counting, they stated. The collaboration illustrates how corporate demand can help scale innovative carbon-removal approaches, delivering climate impact, transparency, and long-term sustainability outcomes, according to the release.
MARKETS
Feedback on forests – Standard body Social Carbon is seeking feedback for its methodology for assessing and managing emissions leakage in forest conservation and avoided-deforestation projects, which is called Module for Leakage Management in Conservation Projects (SCD0005). It addresses both activity-shifting and market-effects leakage, ensuring that climate benefits are measured with transparency, integrity, and science, the standard body said. Stakeholders across the climate, forestry, and carbon finance sector are invited to provide feedback by Jan. 31, 2026.
SCIENCE & TECH
Deep vision – A group of scientists from different countries has published an open-source deep learning algorithm designed for camera traps in African tropical forests. Dubbed DeepForestVision, the tool aims to support research efforts and conservation projects through automatically analysing photos and videos, providing insights into elusive species, especially in habitats that are difficult to access through direct observation. The study, led by researchers from Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, has been published in the journal British Ecological Society.
Limited success? – Current protections are offering only marginal benefits for freshwater biodiversity in Europe, according to a study published in Nature Communications on Wednesday. The researchers analysed freshwater biodiversity data from 1986-2022 to conclude giving freshwater ecosystems a protected area status offers limited conservation success. This could be because the concept of protected area status is more appropriate for terrestrial ecosystems, the paper said. To counter these trends, the researchers recommended European policy makers improve river catchment-scale management and upstream protection efforts.
Laser leaves – Maine researchers have launched a joint effort to sharpen local forest monitoring by using LiDAR data to generate more detailed assessments of forest health and structure as drought and climate stresses increase. The University of Maine and Colby College are pairing aerial laser scans collected from UMaine’s research aircraft with terrestrial measurements taken by Colby teams to build high-resolution, three-dimensional forest models. The data is intended to support forest managers and industry stakeholders by improving estimates of timber supply, carbon storage, and forest health and composition, while reducing reliance on secondary datasets.
—————————————————
ADVERTISE WITH US
Check out Carbon Pulse’s 2025 advertising brochure and media pack, featuring updated offerings and prices. Bookings are open for advertising on our website and in our newsletters.
Got a tip? How about some feedback? Email us at [email protected]