ANALYSIS: Experts cautious on proposed EU methodologies to certify carbon removals
Experts expressed mixed views on the European Commission’s proposed methodologies to certify different types of carbon removal activities under the EU’s Carbon Removals Certification Framework (CRCF), with some observers welcoming bold elements of the proposals and others criticising them on structural or methodological grounds.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Voluntary carbon stakeholders react to SBTi pivot on offset use for corporate targets
A major announcement from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) that now opens the door for offset use as part of validated corporate net zero targets has made waves in the voluntary carbon sector, with proponents of the decision lauding its demand implications for the market, and critics arguing that the move undermines the organisation’s role in the broader fight against climate change.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Ageing UN carbon projects eye voluntary carbon market opportunities in light of Article 6 delays
Projects from the UN’s Kyoto Protocol-era Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) are transitioning to the voluntary carbon market (VCM) in light of stalling Article 6 negotiations, experts have told Carbon Pulse, though some caution that opportunities may only be short term, and units could be a tough sell for some buyers.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Role of VCM, legislative snags delay Brazil ETS passage
Questions around the role of the voluntary carbon market (VCM) and legislative complications continue to delay a landmark law establishing a national cap-and-trade system in Brazil, potentially endangering President Lula’s push for passage in the first half of 2024.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Delayed LCFS decision sparks market bull run, but prices retrace with cautious optimism
California regulator ARB’s announcement to postpone a hearing and vote regarding amendments to its Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) saw a short-lived market rally, as market observers anticipate significant changes to the proposed amendments, which were criticised by industry, environmental groups, and market participants alike.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Enthusiasm for mini nuclear reactors is growing in the EU, but tech is far from deployable
Optimism for the role of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the EU’s future energy system abounds, but with the nuclear technology still far from ready for the market, some warn that it may prove to be a dangerous and costly distraction.
Read MoreANALYSIS: New review for zero-rated BC forest carbon project after key data surfaces
A large voluntary forest carbon project in British Columbia, developed by a major Canadian timber company, will have its initial ‘zero’ grade issued by a US-based ratings firm reviewed after important data said to be missing was made publicly available.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Lag in Swiss funding revives additionality questions over Thai Article 6 carbon sales
The lag between project inception and receipt of financing in the world’s first internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) – transacted in January from Thailand to Switzerland – is raising questions about the financial additionality of these credits traded under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6.2, experts have told Carbon Pulse.
Read MoreANALYSIS: Divisions emerge on the usefulness of SBTi emissions target-setting for corporate sustainability
The Science-based Targets initiative (SBTi), considered the gold standard of voluntary emissions target-setting, is provoking divided reactions from industry, NGOs, and academia as actors across the board contest the future of Paris-aligned corporate emissions targets.
Read MoreANALYSIS: New int’l corporate Scope 3 emissions reporting laws highlight different regional aims for climate finance
Recent corporate value chain emissions reporting legislation from the EU and California, and similar policy proposals in Australia, will provide investors with the tools to identify climate-related transition risks; however, legislative goals differ, showing that projected impacts of corporate climate disclosure may vary by context.
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