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TOP STORIES
INTERVIEW: Canadian firm launches to scale Indigenous‑led biodiversity credits in British Columbia
A newly launched Canadian firm is working to adapt Savimbo’s methodology to British Columbia’s (BC) ecosystems in a bid to scale Indigenous-led biodiversity credit projects across the region, Carbon Pulse has learned.
INTERVIEW: New Chilean govt to decide the future of regulated biodiversity credits market
Chile’s newly elected presidency will determine whether to enact near-final regulations establishing the region’s first regulated voluntary biodiversity credit (VBC) market, introduce flexibilities allowing their use in mandatory offsets, or reopen the framework for further revisions, the architect of the rules told Carbon Pulse.
NATURE & BIODIVERSITY MARKET
EU expert group starts tackling metrics, governance for nature market
Discussions on the forthcoming EU market for nature credits began to gain pace this week, as the expert group set up by the Commission to design the overarching framework met behind closed doors in Brussels.
UK standards body launches consultation on community engagement in nature markets
Public body the British Standards Institution (BSI) published a standard on Tuesday with recommendations for good practice for community engagement in nature-based credits.
Japan looking beyond J-Blue voluntary credits to explore compliance -webinar
Japan is interested in developing blue compliance credits in addition to its government-backed J-Blue scheme, the Japan Blue Economy Association (JBE) said on Friday.
Standard launches consultation on methodology for rainwater harvesting projects
An environmental standard body on Sunday launched a public consultation on a new crediting methodology for projects that capture, store, and use rainwater to increase water availability.
Transferability could build US conservation market from leading environmental services mechanism -report
Introducing transferability to conservation tax credits could serve as a stronger incentive for voluntary landowners in the US, compared to the country’s leading payment for environmental services (PES) tool, according to a Montana-based think tank.
NATURE-BASED CARBON
ANALYSIS: Early glut could cap Article 6 carbon credit prices, but supply crunch looms
Prices of carbon credits under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 are seen below $20 per tonne in the early years as supply outpaces demand, before a tightening market pushes rates above $100 by mid-century, according to an analysis.
INTERVIEW: Momentum is building in Southeast Asia, if uneven, project developer says
Bilateral Article 6 agreements signed between countries in Southeast Asia is attracting “serious capital” to the region, according to a local project developer, as the market eyes a potential recovery.
Scientists question the future of blue carbon methodologies
An academic paper has posed 10 priority questions for the next decade of blue carbon science, including whether blue carbon crediting methodologies could be simplified.
SE Asia keen to mobilise international carbon credits, but wait on legislation
Several carbon market stakeholders in Southeast Asia signalled an interest in developing credits for international markets, but domestic policy architecture still lags behind such ambition, conference attendees heard Tuesday.
NZU prices won’t recover until uncapped forestry dealt with, former minister says
Prices in New Zealand’s ETS will continue to come under pressure from forestry-issued units absent any changes, the country’s former climate minister told Carbon Pulse on Tuesday – despite legislative tweaks to restrict farm-to-forest conversions last year.
Removals essential infrastructure amid data centre-driven power demand boom
With a surge in power demand from data centres extending the life of fossil fuel-fired generation, carbon removals are even more important than before, a high profile investor said Tuesday.
US biochar company secures 1 mln CDR credit agreement with Microsoft
A US-headquartered biochar company has secured an agreement to supply Microsoft with 1 million carbon removal (CDR) units over a 10-year period, it announced on Tuesday.
Nature-based carbon projects need stronger regulation to protect biodiversity, study says
Carbon markets should be integrated within wider regulatory frameworks that address deforestation risks and promote Indigenous stewardship to ensure they deliver real outcomes for biodiversity, according to a new paper.
Benefits of sovereign control of credit supply may drive up Article 6 activity
As governments tighten their grip on carbon credit supply to align developers with national climate strategies, analysts say this shift will drive a surge in Article 6 activity under the Paris Agreement.
Malawi dairy biogas programme authorised under Article 6.2
Malawi has authorised a dairy biogas initiative under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, making it the country’s first project to generate Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) while targeting emissions reductions from agriculture and household energy use.
Carbon market ‘safety valves’ on agenda for India as it builds ETS -official
India’s upcoming compliance-based carbon market will have built-in “stability mechanisms” to manage both credit shortages and oversupply, a senior government official said on Saturday.
Australia, NZ groups publish forest valuation, carbon standard
Australian and New Zealand forestry industry bodies on Friday published a valuation standard to provide guidelines for the physical and financial description and valuation of commercial plantation and natural forests.
Carbon removal financier agrees to 305k CDR credit deal with Bolivian recycler
A Zurich-headquartered carbon removal (CDR) financier has committed to procuring over 305,000 CO2 removal certificates (CORCs) from a biochar facility in Bolivia, it announced on Monday.
Brazilian prosecutors sue Amazon carbon projects over alleged communities’ rights violations
The Brazilian Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) has filed three public civil actions against carbon credit projects in the state of Amazonas for allegedly violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities, it announced on Thursday.
Integrity body to assess UK govt-run carbon standard
The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) will review a UK nature-focused carbon standard following its application for accreditation under the body’s credit quality stamp, it was confirmed Monday.
Offset platform selects six early-stage project developers for first nature-focused CDR accelerator cohort
A German-headquartered carbon offset platform has selected six early-stage nature-based project developers for the fourth cohort of its accelerator, marking the programme’s first edition dedicated to land-based CDR activities.
Biogenic CO2 from wastewater biogas stored offshore in Norway for first time globally
In a world-first application of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), biogenic CO2 from a wastewater biogas facility in Norway has been transported and permanently stored 2,600 metres below the seabed, the project partners announced Tuesday.
POLICY
INTERVIEW: EU water law – the “next victim of deregulation”?
The fate of the EU’s flagship Water Framework Directive (WFD) will be determined by an upcoming revision that could weaken the 25-year-old environmental protections, a Brussels-based NGO told Carbon Pulse.
BRIEFING: Restoration push grows, but policy contradictions threaten delivery, specialists say
Efforts to scale up ecosystem restoration are accelerating across regions, but ongoing approval of extractive activities, weak coordination, and limited enforcement capacity are raising doubts over whether countries can meet 2030 targets, specialists said during a webinar this week.
Deadlock persists at deep-sea mining talks as countries back inquiry into corporate moves
Country delegates at the latest UN talks on deep-sea mining did not advance discussions on global rules for the industry, while backing an investigation into unilateral corporate action.
Technological limitations challenging delivery of high seas treaty -study
Major data gaps, limited ocean mapping, and fragmented monitoring systems could constrain implementation of the international high seas treaty agreement unless rapidly addressed through coordinated technology, data-sharing, and capacity-building efforts, new scientific analysis has found.
Ramsar wetlands could be OECMs in Southeast Asia, IUCN says
Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) and the Ramsar Convention of 1971 are complementary instruments for wetland conservation, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has said.
India can supply up to 30% of global carbon removals by 2050, but needs policy push, analysis finds
India could emerge as a major global supplier of durable carbon removals (CDR), but it must first address policy gaps, weak demand, and high costs to scale the sector, a policy brief published this week said.
Switzerland warns against widespread farm use of biochar despite carbon removal potential
Switzerland’s environment and agriculture authorities have advised caution over the large-scale use of biochar in farming, citing uncertain long-term impacts on soils and limited climate mitigation potential, according to an updated government factsheet.
Great Barrier Reef water quality improvement programme opens for lead bids
A Traditional Owner-led programme to improve water quality around the Great Barrier Reef has opened a tender for a lead organisation.
English tree planting scheme needs funding certainty, govt watchdog says
A tree planting and peatland restoration programme in England has achieved successes, but its long-term goals won’t be met without future funding certainty, a government spending watchdog said this week.
Brazil brings Amazon catfish action plan to UN summit
Brazil will discuss a 10-year action plan for Amazonian migratory catfish, developed in cooperation with other countries from the region, at the UN species conference.
CORPORATE
SBTi publishes revised FLAG guidance, sets 2027 shift to new accounting standard
Companies must use a final accounting standard for land-based emissions and removals from 2027 under updated guidance that revises timelines and tightens no-deforestation rules.
Norwegian sovereign wealth fund manager tightens nature expectations for portfolio firms
The manager of one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds has strengthened its expectations for how portfolio companies manage nature-related risks, calling on boards to integrate biodiversity, land, water, and ocean impacts into core business strategy, risk management, and disclosures.
Forest management plans cut Congo Basin deforestation by nearly half -study
Forest management plans (FMPs) in logging concessions across the Congo Basin could halve deforestation, but their adoption remains limited, according to a new paper.
SCIENCE & TECH
Global biodiversity metrics effort eyes 2029 delivery as next phase begins -webinar
A global initiative to standardise biodiversity metrics will enter its next phase in the coming months, with a three‑year plan to deliver a fully developed nature measurement protocol by 2029.
Scientists push for enhanced verification of biodiversity restoration projects
A group of conservation and restoration experts has called for strengthening independent verification of biodiversity projects, as most fail to properly demonstrate positive outcomes.
Hundreds of freshwater fish species need greater protection as migrations collapse -report
Freshwater fish migrations are rapidly collapsing due to human activity and climate-driven ecosystem changes, with hundreds of species requiring greater protection, according to a report by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).
Australia’s conservation areas expand but miss threatened species, study finds
Australia’s conservation areas doubled between 2010-22, but their expansion failed to target regions critical for threatened species and ecosystems, a paper has said.
Enhanced rock weathering developer pilots satellite crop monitoring in Ontario trials
A London-headquartered enhanced rock weathering (ERW) company is piloting satellite data to monitor crop performance in Ontario, Canada, it announced last week.
Peatlands in British Columbia are an overlooked carbon powerhouse -study
Peatlands in British Columbia store far more carbon per hectare than surrounding forests yet remain poorly mapped, with their carbon stocks largely unquantified, according to a new study.
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EVENTS
Ecology Calling returns on May 20 with a 1-day event titled ‘Investing in Nature’ at venue Firesyde, near the border of Surrey and Sussex, about an hour’s transport from London Waterloo. Speakers include representatives from HSBC, Rebalance Earth, RePlanet, Environment Bank, Pensions for Purpose, Crowther Lab, Gresham House, and the University of Oxford. Use the code ‘Pulse15’ to get 15% off tickets.
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BITE-SIZED UPDATES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
MARKETS
J-REDD consultations continue – The environmental secretariat (Semas) of the Brazilian state of Para continued its ongoing free, informed, and prior consent (FPIC) consultations for the development of its contested jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme last week in the municipality of Baiao. During the consultation, government representatives presented information to Quilombola communities about REDD+, addressed concerns, and promoted spaces for dialogue, aiming to ensure that the communities’ contributions are incorporated into the process. Representatives from the Coordination of Associations of Quilombo Remnant Communities of Para (Malungu), the State Secretariat for Racial Equality and Human Rights, and the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment of Baiao also participated.
Consultation launch – Social Carbon has launched a public consultation on a methodology – SCM0003 v2.0 – for advancing high-integrity removals through afforestation and reforestation on Brazilian private lands. Key improvements include introducing dynamic performance benchmarking to bolster additionality, setting a project scale limit of 20,000 ha, and enhancing eligibility screening. The consultation is open until Apr. 23. Participate here.
All together now – Removals registry Isometric is launching the Buyer Dashboard in order to give buyers a live view of the certification progress, from validation through credit issuance. The live platform will provide carbon credit buyers with key information such as when a project will complete validation, the tonnes submitted for verification, and how many credits will be issued in a quarter. It will allow buyers to forecast upcoming deliveries and report updates to internal stakeholders, so they do not have to await the next scheduled update but can see how the project is progressing in one place.
Soil carbon uplift – Soil carbon developer Agreena has been verified for its Scope 3 project from SustainCERT, leading to the issuance of 10,964 verified impact units (VIUs), including the first agricultural units issued in Hungary and Poland. The developer can now provide third-party assurance for all soil carbon outcomes across both its Verra-verified carbon credit programme (2.3 mln credits issued) and its SustainCERT-verified supply chain solution. The almost 11,000 VIUs issued cover 6,518 ha across Hungary, Poland, and the UK, delivering 3,940 tonnes of verified emission reductions and 7,024 tonnes of removals through regenerative farming. VIUs represent verified emissions reductions and removals generated in a company’s own value chain.
Carbon gains – Around 100 villages in the Anand district of India’s Gujarat state are turning to bio-CNG projects in an effort to ease the ongoing LPG crisis, with the initiative also expected to generate carbon credits through significant emissions reductions. The cluster of 10 plants will convert cattle dung, agricultural residue, and other waste into clean fuel, producing about 10 tonnes of bio-CNG every day while cutting reliance on imported LPG. The initiative is expected to avoid over 100,000 tCO2e of emissions annually, creating potential for carbon credit generation alongside improved rural waste management and additional income streams for farmers. (Times of India)
ERW partners – Climeworks is partnering with Lithos Carbon to bring enhanced rock weathering (ERW) credits to market and help scale the sector. Lithos applies finely ground basalt rock sourced from quarries to US farmland, claiming to lock up CO2 for over 1,000 years, with the results measured through sampling and analysis. The two formerly partnered in 2023 to deliver 3.5 mln tonnes of CDR over more than a decade. By 2025, Lithos had become the largest ERW developer by issued credits, while Climeworks had become the single-largest offtaker in the category.
Land-based removals greenwashing? – Environmental NGO Carbon Market Watch released a report on Monday warning that the new Land Sector and Removals Standard (LSRS) developed by Greenhouse Gas Protocol risks weakening corporate climate action, despite safeguards on land‑based emissions and removals accounting. The NGO says optional reporting of removals and an implied hierarchy that lets SBTi’s FLAG guidance override LSRS rules could allow companies to hide ongoing emissions behind “net” targets and temporary storage. It urges making removals reporting mandatory, banning enhanced oil recovery, tightening traceability and uncertainty rules, and clearly separating emissions cuts from carbon removals in all target‑setting frameworks.
CORPORATE
Rail ride – UK pension fund Railpen will focus on nature and climate as one of its four priority areas for stewardship, including the sub-themes of water and biodiversity, it said in a statement. Integrating nature considerations into its existing climate stewardship strategy offers the potential for mutually reinforcing solutions, said the company. The firm will publish a series of structured engagement plans for its themes for the first time, with objectives, priority sectors, and measures of success.
POLICY
High stakes – Procedural rules for the High Seas Treaty are up for negotiation in New York this week with delegates aiming to set a solid foundation for the first COP on the topic. The Preparatory Commission is meeting over Mar. 23 to Apr. 2, addressing issues such as the rules of procedure for the COP, arrangements for the functioning of the secretariat, and the procedural rules for the subsidiary bodies. Also up for discussion are financing mechanisms and resources, which the president of Palau, writing for Dialogue Earth, has said must be accessible. With the High Seas Treaty now in force, the first COP is expected this year. However, more countries still need to join the international agreement, WWF has said.
Debt-for nature swaps – The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is talking with three African countries to set up debt-for-nature swaps potentially worth over $500 mln, it told Reuters this week. Ademola Ajagbe, TNC’s regional director for Africa, did not name those involved due to confidentiality agreements. However, he hinted that one deal would likely close this year while the remaining two would be finalised in 2027. Other African countries, Gabon and Seychelles, have agreed to debt-for-nature swaps in the past years, reducing repayments in line with conservation commitments.
French wood – Public funding for the French forest-wood sector hit €1.7 bln between 2020-24, with the majority – some €1.3 bln – of this financial support directed to the wood-for-energy sector. Funding for this sub-sector has increased, a report from the Institute for Climate Economics (I4CE) said late last week. It suggested this has been driven, in part, by new schemes for wood pellets and the use of woody biomass in newer forms of aviation fuel. Separately, scientists and NGOs have criticised the use of EU wood for energy, bringing a legal case against the bloc’s decision to prescribe forest biomass a green label in the Sustainable Finance Taxonomy.
Canopy cash – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Thursday previewed a grant programme offering more than $46 mln to support tree production, forest management, and forest product industries, a trade publication reported. The scheme, dubbed the Advancing Forest Markets Grant Program, will back Governor Kathy Hochul’s goal to plant 25 mln trees by 2033 and expand reforestation supply chains, with eligibility tied to enrolment in the US Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. Funding will target activities such as seed and seedling production, forest product manufacturing, and workforce development, with projects required to be completed by Jan. 2028.
Water watch – Canada’s environment minister on World Water Day launched efforts to develop the country’s first National Water Security Strategy to safeguard freshwater resources. On Friday, Julie Dabrusin announced the Canada Water Agency will lead the process, working with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and stakeholders across the country. The strategy will assess freshwater risks and opportunities as water becomes an increasingly strategic resource, with engagement timelines to be announced in the coming months.
Some heroes wear capes – The South African province of the Western Cape has added more than 81,700 ha to its protected area network through over 20 new nature reserves between Apr. 2025 and Mar. 2026. The mostly privately owned zones cover a mix of small properties, mountains, and lowland areas. Government-backed programme CapeNature enables landowners to voluntarily declare land as protected areas, supporting the province’s 30×30 target.
Tree targets – Turkiye is aiming to plant 600 mln saplings and seeds by November in a bid to expand forested areas and create new carbon sinks. The target was announced by Forestry General Director Bekir Karacabey who said that 517 mln saplings and seeds were planted last year, leading Turkiye to record an average annual increase of 118,000 ha of forest. This allowed the country to climb from sixth to fourth place among countries that increased their forest cover the most, according to the FAO’s 2025 Global Forest Resources Assessment, he said. Turkiye is also using unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor forest and prevent fires, and setting camera traps to monitor critical areas, which Karacabey said makes it among the world’s most advanced nations for forestry monitoring. (Daily Sabah)
Fishery commitment – The Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries formalised an agreement this week, aiming to better manage the country’s ecosystems and fisheries. Conservation International, Wild Earth Allies, and the Wildlife Conservation Society co-signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the MAFF, pledging to strengthen their cooperation, Khmer Times reported. Under the non-binding agreement, work would focus on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the Mekong River, as well as inland areas. The IUCN this week pointed to Cambodia’s wetland ecosystems around Tonle Sap and the Mekong as good options for Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure (OECM) recognition.
SCIENCE & TECH
Mining – Greenpeace Africa organised a public demonstration in Yaounde, Cameroon, on Saturday aimed at raising awareness about the protection of the Congo Basin forests. Youths, civil society actors, public institutions, journalists, and scientists were brought together to build a united front against the threats facing biodiversity. The mining area in the country increased from 82 ha in 2010 to 4,600 ha in 2024, resulting in the loss of nearly 270,000 ha of primary forest, said the NGO.
Ageing carbon benefits – Sweden’s old-growth boreal forests store much more carbon than previously estimated, according to a new study by Lund University and Stanford University. Results showed that primary forests store 72% more carbon per acre than industrially managed forests, rising to 83% more when harvested wood products are excluded. Soil accounted for the largest portion, with the top metre holding 64% of total carbon in primary forests. Industrial logging has persistent effects on soil carbon, which old-growth forests recover from slowly. Sweden’s managed forests could take centuries to regain lost carbon, the researchers warned. The study measured carbon at over 200 forest sites, comparing undisturbed primary forests to managed plantations. (ShiaWaves)
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