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.

In for service – The Australian government is consulting on the country's electric car discount, with submissions open until Feb. 5. As part of a statutory review, the consultation asks if the tax exemptions were effective in encouraging the uptake of zero or low emissions vehicles, and how this compared to other factors. The review also asks about the role of early adopters and how support of the market may have had flow-on impacts such as the development of charging infrastructure, or the broadening and deepening of the EV market. EVs made up over 12% of new car sales in Australia in mid 2025, according to the Electric Vehicles Council.

Red tape, green growth – The New Zealand government has made changes to health and safety regulations for hydrogen in a bid to kickstart growth of the sector, it announced on Wednesday in a press release. Specifically, the changes included technical amendments to provisions which were preventing businesses from adopting new practices and creating new ones to provide clarity, it said, such as specific requirements for hydrogen fuelling stations. Energy minister Simon Watts said removing these barriers was a key priority identified in last year’s hydrogen roadmap.

White House backing - The Trump administration is backing the oil industry in a battle over restoring Louisiana’s coastline, E&E News reported. The outlet wrote Solicitor General D. John Dauer asked the Supreme Court to participate in arguments as the fossil fuel industry looks to move a number of lawsuits against it from state court to the potentially more sympathetic ear of the federal court.

NJ seeks superfund - New Jersey’s Climate Superfund Act is set to be posted for a January hearing in the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, according to E&E News. The outlet reported committee Chair Paul Sarlo (D) said the landmark environmental bill would move forward at the request of Senate President Nick Scutari (D) and Senator John McKeon (D), the latter of whom is the bill's biggest backer.

California Resources Corporation's (CRC) carbon management unit has announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a power producer to explore carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions for two facilities regulated under the state's Quebec-linked emissions trading system.

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.

RGGI electricity report – According to Tuesday’s monitoring report, CO2 emissions from power generated in non-RGGI regions exported into participating states decreased by 20.3 mln short tons of CO2 from 2021-23, down 23% from a 2006-08 baseline. Meanwhile, annual average emissions from 2021-23 from electric generation in the RGGI region also decreased by nearly 97 mln short tons compared to the baseline, a nearly 50% drop. Although the report did not claim to assign causality of emission leakage, it acknowledged that electric generation and related CO2 emissions from all non-RGGI sources serving load in the regional programme may provide potential indication of emissions leakage. These trends showed that “there has been a small decrease in CO2 emissions” from total non-RGGI electric generation serving load in the RGGI region, the report said. The annual average net imports into the RGGI region in 2023 decreased by 1.3 mln MWh, or 1.1%, compared to the baseline.

Brazil has approved a plan that will guide the country’s strategies to achieve the climate goals under its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2035.

US biofuel groups that previously urged the Trump administration to support a potential international maritime carbon pricing system have launched an initiative designed to work with the executive to establish the country as a major supplier of biofuels for the global maritime sector.

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.

German EPBD delay – The centre-right CDU party of German chancellor Friedrich Merz has suggested suspending the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in a policy paper seen by Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima. The paper, entitled "For a new upswing in the housing market", has been drafted ahead of the party's annual conference in Stuttgart on Feb 20-21, 2026. It was adopted by the CDU's federal executive committee on Dec. 15 and aims to rapidly increase housing construction, Tagesspiegel Background reported. The EPBD sets out a range of measures to improve the energy performance of buildings across Europe, with the aim of creating a fully decarbonised building stock by 2050. The latest version of the EPBD, which was revised in 2024, is supposed to be transposed into national law by May 29, 2026. It focuses on increasing the renovation rate in the EU, makes zero-emissions buildings the standard for new buildings, and foresees a phase-out of fossil fuel boilers among other things – particularly the latter has been highly controversial in Germany. Heating fuels are due to be covered by a new EU ETS2 from 2027.  (Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima)

The new front-December EU emissions allowance futures contract celebrated the start of its tenure by rising to a 25-month high on Tuesday as bullish sentiment spread throughout the market and allowed carbon to shrug off bearish price moves elsewhere.

Verra has launched a new version of its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) crediting programme, introducing stronger safeguards for Indigenous Peoples and local communities, insurance provisions to account for reversal risk, and shorter baseline cycles.

The European Parliament has given the green light to a political deal that significantly reduces the number of companies required to comply with sustainability reporting and due diligence rules, while removing mandatory climate transition plans.

Laos cookstoves - Bridge Carbon has partnered with C Dimension, a JV between China Ruifeng Renewable Energy and Treasure Carbon, to co-develop a clean cookstove project in Laos targeting 170,000 households in 2026–27, it told Carbon Pulse. The initiative is expected to generate 2.7 MtCO₂e over 10 years under Verra’s VM0050 methodology and is backed by the government’s 2024 Low Carbon Development Strategy. Bridge Carbon will serve as project developer and operator, using its in-country staff and networks to deploy 340,000 stoves and oversee monitoring, verification, credit issuance and sales. The firm already supports carbon projects across more than 1.5 mln rural households.

The European Commission on Tuesday unveiled a 2035 climate target requiring carmakers to cut CO2 emissions from new vehicles by at least 90%, while offsetting the remaining 10% through credits tied to low-carbon fuels and green steel.

The EU’s incoming Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) could raise emissions and energy prices in both the UK and the bloc unless key design flaws are resolved before it enters into force on Jan. 1, British industry representatives said this week.

California's refining sector is contracting despite profitable conditions due to an aggressive regulatory environment, with two WCI-regulated facilities confirmed for closure and a third facing an uncertain future, an expert told Carbon Pulse.

An initiative seeking to restore 50,000 hectares of Bhutanese land over the next 10 years intends to generate almost two million carbon credits and create a secondary mechanism to enable payment for ecosystem services, an international conservation organisation said.

Cost question - The latest filings in the US challenge to Vermont’s Climate Superfund Act address claims about whether the law would affect fossil fuel prices and market behaviour. The act, which seeks to impose cost recovery demands on major fossil fuel producers based on historical global emissions, is being contested by the federal government on constitutional and federal preemption grounds. Vermont and allied intervenors argue that the charges would function as fixed, backward-looking costs with no impact on prices or future conduct. Federal lawyers reject both the premise and its relevance, arguing that cost recovery would raise prices and influence behaviour, and that the law operates as emissions regulation rather than passive compensation.

Adjusted terms – Carbon Streaming has amended its Azuero Reforestation carbon credit streaming agreement for a project in Panama, while confirming its offtake with Microsoft remains in place. Microsoft and Rubicon retain ongoing funding obligations, while Carbon Streaming has no further funding obligation after its $1.2 mln upfront payment but holds options to provide additional funding of $4.6 mln or $3.8 mln by June 30, 2026 or June 30, 2027, respectively. If no option is exercised, the project is expected to remove approximately 2.3 MtCO2e through 2052. Exercising either option would increase restoration to 9,539 or 9,050 hectares and removal to between roughly 2.8 and 2.9 MtCO2e, with Carbon Streaming entitled to between about 295,000 and 357,000 carbon credits.  Initial issuance from the project is expected in 2029.

Tech integration - Anew Climate has acquired assets and intellectual property from lifecycle assessment software provider P6 Technologies, the company said on Tuesday, which will bring P6’s proprietary technology, datasets, software platforms, and engineering talent in-house. Anew plans to integrate P6’s lifecycle analysis capabilities into its existing carbon-intensity tools to create a new platform branded Anew CI. The company said Anew CI will enable carbon-intensity and credit revenue calculations, generate compliance outputs for key programmes, and support credit tracking and forecasting, and will leverage machine learning and AI-powered insights. Anew CI will be available to customers from Q1 2026, with further integrations planned throughout the year.

Biochar removals - Isometric has issued Pacific Biochar’s first verified carbon removal credits under its Biochar Production and Storage Protocol. These 3,042 credits were generated by the Humboldt Sawmill project in Scotia, California, where biochar is produced from sawmill residues. This biochar is then primarily applied to agricultural land to improve yields, conserve water, and improve carbon sequestration. These credits are the first to be issued under v1.3 of Isometric’s Biomass Feedstock Accounting (BFA) Module, which expanded the range of feedstocks eligible for use.

The European Commission plans to extend the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to 180 additional downstream goods from 2028, meaning 7,500 new importers in the bloc will have to comply with the policy, according to a leaked draft seen by Carbon Pulse on Tuesday.

China’s marine economy could peak its greenhouse gas emissions up to six years earlier than current policy trajectories and at substantially lower levels if authorities pursue a sustainability-oriented development pathway, according to new research that presents the first integrated framework for assessing decarbonisation options across the country’s ocean-based sectors.

FPIC ongoing – Para, Brazil, is calling on Quilombola communities to engage in free, prior, and informed consultation (FPIC) related to its J-REDD+ programme. The state will hold meetings from Dec. 16-19 in the municipality of Oriximina and has invited residents from six Quilombola territories in the area: Ariramba, Area Trombetas, Agua Fria, Cachoeira Porteira, Juquirizinho, and Mae Dominga. (OEstadoNet)

Global partners - The UK and Malaysia have launched the second phase of the Malaysia-UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) Country Fund, which will channel capital to carbon markets and green finance. The initiative allows both countries to reaffirm their shared commitment to accelerating Malaysia's low-carbon transition, and sees up to £2.9 mln in funding allocated across two years. New projects the initiative will fund are detailed here.

Greener purchases - Payment technology provider Worldpay is partnering with sustainability company Ekko to help online retailers advance their sustainability goals and offer customers the opportunity to purchase carbon credits at the checkout. Credits from Gold Standard will be included in the offering, including emissions reduction and removal projects, Worldpay said in a release on Tuesday.

Gevo-lution - Fuels maker Gevo has announced a senior leadership transition aimed at supporting its next phase of growth. Paul Bloom has been appointed president and joined the company’s board as of Dec. 9. Long-time CEO Patrick Gruber has become executive chair, while existing Chair William Baum has moved into the lead independent director role. Gruber will remain CEO until his retirement on Apr. 1, 2026, after which Bloom will take over. Bloom, who joined Gevo in 2021, has led work on technology development and commercial strategy, including efforts to expand the company’s jet fuel and carbon management businesses. The transition is presented as a deliberate succession plan intended to sharpen the company’s focus on profitability, scale-up, and leveraging its technology and intellectual property assets.

The ecological impacts of the EU’s proposed bioeconomy strategy received some level of attention during a public ministerial debate this week, but many ministers focused more heavily on competitiveness and simplification.

The COP30 climate summit in Belem underscored the urgent need to strengthen the integrity, capacity, and equity of carbon market mechanisms under Article 6, according to a group of experts contributing to a report by a Germany-based climate research institute.

Greening the grid - The Swedish Energy Agency is granting SEK 16.8 mln (€1.5 mln) in support to OX2 and Sodra Skogsagarna by way of the Industrial Leap initiative to investigate the potential to produce renewable e-methane. The two partners are looking to build a renewable e-methane plant with feedstock to consist of water, CO2, and renewable electricity, and the output to help decarbonise the Western Sweden gas grid. A future plant is expected to be able to cut emissions by 250,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. The project will support Sweden in its goal to reach net zero by 2045.

Guidance - South Korea's trade ministry and energy agency on Tuesday published a "guidebook" to support domestic companies in finding new opportunities in the emerging Article 6 market. Released during a briefing session, the guidebook covers key regulations, procedures, and considerations necessary for Korean businesses and organisations to plan and execute international carbon projects. The trade ministry also said it will work to expand the number of partner countries for Paris-aligned projects.

A coalition dedicated to creating blue carbon ecosystems in Japan is seeking to commercialise its seaweed cultivation solution for fishing ports.

Energy savings – The German government intends to scrap absolute energy savings targets in various sectors "with the aim of reducing bureaucracy", reported Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima on Tuesday. It based its reporting on a leaked draft amendment to the country's Energy Efficiency Act, dated Dec. 1. Based on this, Germany wants to reduce national energy efficiency measures to the EU minimum, said the article. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy did not respond to a request for confirmation that this is the latest version, the site added. Germany missed the Oct. 11 deadline for transposing the EU Energy Efficiency Directive into national law and therefore risks fines if it does not act soon. (Tagesspiegel Background Energie & Klima)

RFQ tool open - Get help with finding the right carbon credits for your company through Carbon Compared's credit evaluation service. The quotation request tool is now live on the Carbon Compared website, with potential buyers asked to input their needs to receive a tailored solution for their company. The platform covers a range of credits, from engineered removals to nature-based solutions and from a range of registries including Verra and Puro. The platform integrates ratings from BeZero and also includes coverage of the wider co-benefits.

Better workflow - A new carbon credit workflow platform has been launched by The Hashgraph Group (THG), a Switzerland-based tech engineering company. The platform called EcoGuard uses energy-efficient distributed ledger technology, which helps to automate and embed digital trust and data provenance into the credit lifecycle. It is designed to support large-scale tokenised ESG systems for government institutions, primarily focused on the compliance market.

SAF offtake - Swiss International Air Lines has signed a long-term offtake agreement for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with cleantech company Synhelion, agreeing to purchase at least 200 tonnes annually from 2027. The deal announced Tuesday marks the first time an airline has signed a binding five-year SAF offtake agreement with Synhelion, which will produce the renewable synthetic crude oil using renewable energy and sustainable feedstocks. Swiss, part of the Lufthansa Group, started using Synhelion fuel in regular flight operations over the summer, and has also signed a carbon removal deal with Neustark to store CO2 in aggregate.

The UK and Belgium have strengthened their bilateral cooperation including on energy security, and plan to sign a bilateral arrangement on cross-border CO2 transport.

Two rival EU energy blocs – the ‘Nuclear Alliance’ and the ‘Friends of Renewables’ – now have a new companion: Denmark’s ‘Friends of Decarbonisation’ is an effort to ease tensions and get everyone pulling in the same direction.

The Bolivian congress is seeking to establish an emissions trading system (ETS) while simultaneously providing long-awaited legal certainty for voluntary carbon markets and Article 6 cooperation, under a draft law recently introduced to the country’s lower house.

The European Commission’s move to start early auctioning of allowances in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme for road transport and heating fuels (ETS2) is a strong signal that Brussels wants to stabilise this new carbon market before it officially launches, an expert has said.

South Korea has passed revisions to the emissions trading act to remove the permit price factor from the allocation calculation formula, a move the government said will help improve market predictability.

A carbon removal financier has agreed to procure more than 360,000 carbon dioxide removal credits from biochar facilities operated in India and the Philippines, expanding its portfolio of high-integrity CDR supply in Asia.

A regional multilateral development bank has called on Asian countries to develop and disclose national decarbonisation pathways, adding that clearer signals would help the financial sector make informed investment decisions and accelerate the energy transition.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed a financial package for Papua New Guinea, part of which tops up a grant from Japan’s Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) for the Pacific country.

Pacific preservation – The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) have signed the Pacific Ocean Initiative, backed with an €8 mln grant from the agency over five years. The regional programme is designed to protect coastal and marine biodiversity, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and support sustainable development across the Pacific Islands. Eighteen countries and territories in the region will be eligible, including Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Niue, Vanuatu, and Tokelau. Activities will include the development of a regional community of practice for coral reef monitoring, enhancing coral reef restoration outcomes, and sustainable management of coastal resources, including fisheries. (SPREP)

Smashthrough – Nippon Electric Glass will commence the world’s first mass production of pharmaceutical-grade glass tubing using a fully electric furnace, the Japanese company said in a press release on Monday. Production at its Malaysia-based facility will begin this month, with the all-electric furnace fully powered by renewables – enabling a 90% reduction in emissions compared with fossil fuel-combustion furnaces.

Certified amalgamation – New Zealand’s government has established a new Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT), it announced on Tuesday, to support its reform ambitions for housing, urban development, transport, and the environment. As well as amalgamating the existing environment, transport, and housing and urban development ministries, MCERT will also absorb the local government functions from the Department of Internal Affairs, the Beehive said. The news comes a week after the government unveiled its proposed reforms to the Resource Management Act, to speed up consenting and developments. MCERT will be fully operational by July 2026.

Study scrapped - US federal officials have cancelled research into the safety risks posed by pipelines carrying CO2 and other hazardous substances, including a nearly completed study examining how far people should be from ruptured pipelines to remain safe, E&E News reported. The work, conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University and funded by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, was halted in September and is among nine safety-related projects the agency scrapped this year at a combined cost of $7 mln, according to the watchdog group Pipeline Safety Trust. Other cancelled projects addressed hydrogen pipeline safety and corrosion, a leading cause of pipeline failures. The group said taxpayers paid for research findings that will now go unpublished.

CO2 emissions from energy consumption will rise 0.5% in 2026 despite the first decline in coal demand in years, as continued growth in oil and gas use offsets the drop, according to a research group webinar.

More than a quarter of new cars sold globally in 2025 are electric, according to analysis from energy think tank Ember, underscoring a rapid shift in the global car market and driving a surge in China’s EV exports to emerging economies.