Watery ambitions - A new report by WaterPower Canada has found that hydropower is one of the most cost-effective and reliable clean energy resources available when electricity systems are evaluated on a system-wide and long-term basis. The study argued many wind and solar projects would require multiple rounds of reconstruction or repowering over the lifespan of a single hydropower facility, yet those future capital costs are rarely included in public cost comparisons. Hydropower, by contrast, typically incurs its core capital cost once and continues delivering energy, capacity, and flexibility for 80 to 100 years or more. Analyses typically use a 20-30 year horizon, it said.

LNG love – Canadian advocacy group Adamant announced an ad campaign on Valentine’s Day targeting the BC NDP government’s support for LNG, arguing the strategy will be a waste of taxpayers’ dollars. The group pointed to analysis from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis estimating construction costs for the Ksi Lisims LNG project could rise from $9 bln to $26 bln, while only one-third of its planned 12 mln tonnes per year capacity has secured buyers, exposing it to income volatility in an oversupplied global market. Adamant said public support for LNG should instead be redirected toward BC’s clean economy, projected to reach $107 bln in GDP by 2030.

CleanBC budget bust - Climate researchers are sending up flares over the lack of climate funding in British Columbia’s 2026 budget. Sierra Club BC called the budget "deeply worrying", saying it included no new funding to protect endangered ecosystems nor moved the province closer to its long-awaited biodiversity law. It said new policies and funding are urgently needed in response to the CleanBC review after a year of provincial backtracking on climate action and policies like the consumer carbon tax, the 2030 net zero requirement for LNG terminals, and EV rebates. Think tank Pembina Institute also called out the budget for failing to invest in low-carbon competitiveness or outlining future work for CleanBC. A CleanBC review found BC’s industrial carbon pricing system is largely delivering as intended, but the province will need tighter performance standards, clearer long-term price signals, and stronger limits on compliance flexibilities to stay on track for its climate goals.      

Emissions intensity for eight key energy products has flatlined in Canada, according to a Thursday report by an environmental think tank.

Sequestration site success - Canada Nickel Company announced on Thursday it has completed an in-situ carbon sequestration pilot at its Crawford project near Timmins, Ontario, injecting and storing about 12 tonnes of CO2 underground between mid-Nov. and mid-Dec. 2025. The test, conducted with a Texas-based team and funded by the US DOE's ARPA-E programme, involved injecting CO2-saturated water into a 396-metre well. The company said no surface leakage or significant seismic events were detected and that the CO2 remained dissolved at depth. Monitoring will continue in the coming months.

Assisted natural regeneration (ANR) and afforestation (AR) projects under Ethiopia’s REDD+ Investment Program reduced modelled soil erosion across pilot sites over the past decade, according to a newly accepted manuscript.

Five Alberta First Nations have launched court cases challenging Canada’s decision to support and advance the Pathways Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) Project, targeting a federal-provincial memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed late last year.

Despite political challenges, Argentina has gained significant traction in recent years from developers interested in structuring carbon projects within an economy heavily reliant on extensive grazing and other land-based activities.

CCS starting up - ExxonMobil is now transporting and storing captured CO2 from the New Generation Gas Gathering (NG3) project in Louisiana, it announced Wednesday. The project is expected to remove up to 1.2 MtCO2 per year, and is only the second active commercial CCS operation in the state, according to the company. ExxonMobil said it has two more CCS projects lined up to start operations in 2026.

A Quebec-based healthy snacks provider has signed a nearly C$4 million ($2.92 mln) partnership to reduce GHGs associated with its dairy supply chain over the next five years.

California Carbon Allowance (CCA) futures moved sideways over the last week as traders await publication of the Q1 auction results and ongoing regulatory and legal questions linger over the market.

Peruvian ITMO potential - Peru could commercialise at least 9 mln tonnes worth of internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) per year, according to a Forbes interview published Thursday with Cristina Rodriguez Valladares, the director of climate change and desertification at the Ministry of Environment (MINAM). The estimate follows bilateral agreements with Switzerland and Singapore for the sale of carbon mitigation outcomes, with additional deals under preparation with Korea and Japan, from the forestry, energy, and waste management.

Ice interventions - Ocean Visions, a US-based non-profit ocean conservation organisation, has awarded funding to six research teams through its Arctic Sea Ice Restoration Research Fund to examine proposed geoengineering approaches aimed at slowing the loss of Arctic summer sea ice, according to a Feb. 12 announcement. The organisation said the projects were selected through an open call and independent expert review process. Four teams will study cloud-based interventions commonly associated with solar radiation modification, including marine cloud brightening and mixed phase cloud thinning, while two others will assess proposals to reduce sea ice export through the Nares and Fram Straits. The funded research will rely on historical and model data rather than fieldwork and builds on prior assessments of 21 potential sea ice protection approaches, including analysis of environmental, social, and governance considerations.

Regulatory rollback - Alabama lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 71 (SB 71), a bill that would bar state regulators from setting pollution limits stricter than federal standards and restrict the science agencies can use in crafting new rules, E&E News reported. The measure aligns the state with President Donald Trump’s (R) recent rollback of federal GHG regulations and limits on regulatory science. Tennessee enacted a similar law last year, while Republicans in Michigan and Utah are advancing related proposals.

Climate crimes countered - New York lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow prosecutors to bring criminal charges against corporate executives whose reckless conduct causes or risks environmental catastrophes, E&E News reported. The measure, sponsored by Democrats Senator Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, would amend the state’s criminal code to penalise knowingly causing or endangering a catastrophe. Backers say it responds to environmental disasters such as the 1978 Greenpoint oil spill and note that similar laws exist in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. The bill would apply to reckless conduct across any industry.

The name game - US SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency is reviewing 2023 amendments to its fund 'Names Rule', which introduced stricter requirements for ESG and sustainability-labelled investment funds. Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee last week, Atkins said he asked staff to reassess rules with significant compliance implications, citing the Names Rule as an example, but gave no timeline. The amendments require funds whose names suggest a particular investment focus to invest at least 80% of assets accordingly, amid concerns about greenwashing and the use of terms such as “sustainable” and “green.” The review is part of a broader reconsideration of Biden-era sustainable finance measures. (ESG Today)

Stakeholder engagement – Documents related to the jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme of Tocantins, Brazil, are now available in Portuguese on the ART Registry, the Secretariat of the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) announced on Thursday. The materials comprise full Portuguese translations of the TREES Registration Document for the 2020-24 crediting period and the TREES Monitoring Report covering 2020-23, both of which were previously published in English. Stakeholders will have an additional 30 days to submit comments on the documents.

Thirteen Democrat-led states are suing the US DOE, alleging that the agency unlawfully terminated billions of dollars in congressionally approved clean energy and infrastructure grants.

A coalition of green groups has called on EU legislators to strike down the European Commission’s proposed certification rules for permanent carbon removals, arguing they leave biochar projects virtually unmonitored and breach the bloc’s own climate law.

European carbon prices could be steered lower when abatement costs spike without resorting to politically toxic price corridors or caps, an economist has suggested.

The UK ETS Authority has dropped free UKA permit handouts for 2026 industrial emissions by 3% since previous figures were published in December, meaning the year-on-year cut now stands at over 5%, it confirmed late on Thursday.

Claims that AI will deliver large-scale emissions reductions are largely tied to lower-impact applications and frequently supported by limited evidence, according to a new report.

Offtake deals for nature-based carbon credits will jump this year to extend a trend after funding announced for projects reached a record $9 billion in 2025, despite an overall dip in voluntary carbon funding, according to a new report.

E-methanol supply - E-fuels company eFuel One has agreed to purchase 100,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually from HIF Global, they stated in a release Thursday. The agreed supply will come from HIF’s Paysandú project in Uruguay and will be certified under EU RED III RFNBO standards. It will support HIF Global's aim to expand in Europe and will help to expand the reach of sustainable fuels on the continent. E-methanol can be used directly in shipping and other industry, or converted into other green fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for planes.

NbS support - Removals registry Isometric has partnered with eight nature-based data and service providers to deliver fast and accurate certification for carbon removal (CDR) suppliers. The chosen partners are Cecil, Earthshot Labs, Kanop, Planet, Space Intelligence, Sylvera, Transparenc, and Treeconomy - who shall provide technical consultation, Earth-observation data, and carbon quantification services to support projects issuing certificates under Isometric’s biosphere protocols. They will help Isometric support early-stage projects with tasks including project design services and in-house dynamic baselining. More details here.

European carbon prices declined modestly on Thursday after several efforts to move the benchmark up near a technical resistance level were beaten back, while the wider market was said to be preoccupied with geopolitical developments in the Middle East.

Full adoption of the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s global carbon pricing mechanism is the only option that would create enough demand signals to boost clean fuel production and enable the global fleet to meet its decarbonisation goals, according to analysis published on Thursday.

New rules proposed for calculating cookstove credits in Kenya have created a conundrum for meeting Paris Agreement targets because too much woodland in the country is labelled as renewable, according to one market participant.

Ministers underscored the importance of energy to national security as they convened at an International Energy Agency (IEA) summit in Paris this week, acknowledging the need to ensure diversification, affordability, and international collaboration in the context of global decarbonisation.

The German government is still clarifying the impact of the EU’s decision to postpone the ETS2 on the country’s 2027 national carbon price, Politico Europe has reported, suggesting that an apparent deal to extend the current price corridor to next year is not a given.

Corporate sustainability teams spend most of their time wrestling with reporting, while emission reduction measures take a backseat – and they remain distrustful of AI to support their efforts, a new report has found.

Fertiliser credits - A Sh107 bln ($832.8 mln) fertiliser factory backed by Kenya Electricity Generating Company and China’s Kaishan Group is set to sell carbon credits by quantifying and marketing the emissions reductions achieved through its geothermal-powered green fertiliser production. The Naivasha-based project, which will use 165 MW of renewable energy to displace traditional fossil-intensive fertiliser manufacturing, is expected to help Kenya avoid around 600,000 tonnes of CO2e annually and could serve as an anchor for carbon credit exports under bilateral trading frameworks, according to local media reports.

Carbon partners - Paris-based sustainability-focussed asset manager Mirova has signed framework agreements with carbon ratings agencies BeZero Carbon and Sylvera, it said in a statement Thursday. The partnership is intended to strengthen the quality standards and transparency of Mirova's carbon strategies, helping it to direct capital toward the highest-quality climate and nature-positive solutions. Mirova is an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers.

Climate funding - University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland has assigned a combined €1 mln in funding to four projects under the annual Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Research Call. The programme focusses on policy-relevant research addressing known knowledge gaps relevant to environmental and climate policy. Projects allocated funding this year are one exploring the effects of climate change on forestry carbon stores in Ireland, another looking at irrigating pastures with treated wastewater, a third exploring indicators for measuring policy actions and climate trends, and a fourth for determining environmental impacts on landscape.

The Council of EU member states is not expected to reach a joint position on the proposed reform of the bloc's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) by mid-March as initially planned, but rather towards the end of the second quarter, sources told Carbon Pulse.

A digital agriculture technology provider has launched its first cocoa traceability project in Cote d’Ivoire in partnership with a local exporter, in a bid to support compliance with EU due diligence requirements and improve supply chain transparency.

A South Korean project developer is preparing to launch a 10,000-hectare rice methane reduction project in Cambodia under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement in April, it said in a company update.

Renewable energy rollout may be the fastest way to cut emissions, but the extent to which these projects should be bankrolled by carbon credits remains a dicey question.

Compliance markets are expected to play a growing role in shaping carbon credit demand over the coming years, with buying under schemes such as CORSIA and domestic systems projected to rise steadily and surpass voluntary demand as early as 2029, a webinar heard on Wednesday.

Peru has added its first-ever Article 6 project, a clean cookstoves initiative, to the RENAMI national carbon registry, according to a resolution issued Wednesday by the Climate Change Directorate.

No gold medal here - The carbon footprint of the Olympic Games remains substantial - ranging from 1.59 to 4.5 mln tonnes of CO2e per edition since 2012 - despite efforts by the International Olympic Committee to reform them, found a study by the University of Lausanne. To comply with the Paris Agreement, the study argues that Olympic emissions must be cut by 48% by 2030, 70% by 2040, and 84% by 2050. Measures to do so should include scaling down the event to fit existing venues and transport systems, prioritising local spectators and sustainable rail travel to limit air travel, and developing immersive remote viewing options such as virtual reality experiences. The researchers also urge event operators to rely more heavily on renewables, plant-based catering, and low-carbon transport. Whilst the IOC should also improve data collection and verification on emissions.

A Paris-based developer has raised €50 million from several development finance institutions (DFIs) to scale its most advanced nature-based carbon projects.

Applications open - Indonesia is inviting applications for the first cycle of the Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA), a UK government-funded programme for funding for low-carbon projects. CFA Indonesia is seeking revenue-generating, climate-aligned businesses requiring at least $3 mln in funding, with priority sectors including energy, waste, agriculture, transport, industrial processes, and forestry and land use. Applications close on Mar. 9, 2026, with selected participants allowed to engage with financiers.

Verra has approved its first carbon credits under a digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (DMRV) pilot initiative for high-frequency issuances, including monthly and bi-monthly cycles, the US standard-setter said Thursday.

On trial - France's first major climate trial against an oil and gas major begun on Thursday at the Paris Court of Justice, six years after a case was filed against TotalEnergies by the StopEACOP campaign, urging the French courts to require TotalEnergies to reduce fossil fuel production. Started in 2020, the campaign consists of a coalition of advocacy organisations alongside the city of Paris, who strongly oppose the company's planned annual production growth of around 3% a year and involvement in controversial projects such as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). French prosecutors previously intervened in support of TotalEnergies, arguing the duty of vigilance framework shouldn't extend to climate change, but courts worldwide now increasingly recognise that climate change directly threatens human rights and fossil fuel producers cannot escape responsibility. For the first time in France, this trial will ask judges whether an oil major can be legally compelled to curb fossil fuel production - and such a ruling could mark a turning point with implications globally, the campaign wrote in an email Thursday.

A Tokyo-based developer will launch a biochar carbon removal (CDR) project in India, with plans for further expansion in the region, it announced Thursday.

The government of France has awarded UK chemicals giant Ineos a €300 million grant to rejuvenate and decarbonise its plant in southern France, aiming to cut CO2 emissions by 331,000 tonnes a year.

Cyprus livestock emissions – The Cyprus government has approved a €1.15 mln programme to monitor and cut greenhouse gas emissions from livestock as part of efforts to reduce national emissions 32% by 2030. The three‑year scheme (2026‑28) will carry out measurements of actual emissions from the livestock sector and employ five fixed‑term staff for two years. It builds on a previous Agricultural Research Institute project on nitrogen fertilisers that cut calculated emissions by 70%, saving the state €4.8 million annually via the EU Emissions Trading System. New data will inform measures under Cyprus’ next Rural Development Strategic Plan. (Philenews)

Perfect match - The number of days ideally suited to sparking wildfires, when the weather is hot, dry, and windy, has nearly tripled in the past 45 years globally, according to a new study by the University of California, Merced. More than half of the increase in these days is caused by human-caused climate change, and the trend is rising even higher in the Americas. In 1979 and for the next 15 years, the world averaged 22 synchronous fire weather days a year for flames that stayed within large global regions, whilst in 2023 and 2024, it was up to more than 60 days a year. Extreme fire weather is the primary, but not only, factor in increasing fire impacts across the globe. The southern half of South America is particularly hard hit - the region averaged 5.5 synchronous fire weather days a year from 1979 to 1988, but over the last decade, that’s risen to 70.6 days a year. (the Guardian)

100% clean - Microsoft has matched 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, it said in a statement Wednesday. This is thanks to 40 GW of new renewable capacity secured across 26 countries and means it has now met its goal set in 2020 to match 100% of consumption with renewables by 2025. The achievement supports the company's effort to become carbon neutral by 2030. More than 90% of the renewable capacity secured by the tech company last year was through power purchase agreements (PPAs) or similar mechanisms, most for new projects. Going forward Microsoft seeks to verify more of its clean energy sourcing on an hourly basis. (edie.net)

As many as eight tipping points could be crossed below 2C of global warming, according to a new academic study, which stresses 1.5C will likely be passed later this decade or next.

India’s largest power utilities will need to accelerate investment in firm renewable energy and storage as coal-fired generation steadily loses its cost advantage, according to a recently released report.

Despite policy and political certainty, Australia's carbon sector is still struggling to attract investment as it faces ongoing operational and reputational challenges, a conference heard this week.

Efficiency update - Australia and New Zealand's Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) programme has released a new strategy to guide its work to 2035, the Australian government announced Thursday. The updated strategy aims to help households and businesses by delivering more energy efficient appliances and equipment, reduce energy bills, expand access to trusted information on energy-saving products, and reduce GHG emissions from appliances and equipment energy use, the government said. The previous strategy  saved consumers between A$12-18 bln in Australia between 2011-22, and NZ$2.6 bln between 2022-24, according to the update. By 2035, the programme aims to ensure the two countries' energy performance outcomes keep pace with rapid technological and market changes globally.

Land for food - Indonesia has earmarked 1.1 mln ha of plantation land under its social forestry programme to boost coffee, nutmeg, and cocoa output, as part of efforts to advance food self-sufficiency, national news agency Antara reported, citing Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni. The land forms part of 8.3 mln ha allocated nationwide for community-based forestry. The agriculture ministry will oversee cultivation plans, with a separate $600 mln programme targeting around 870,000 ha of plantation crops in 2026.

A group of fuel producers and non-profits have sent a joint letter to the European Commission warning that an early reopening of EU renewable hydrogen production standards risks spooking investors, penalising early movers, and weakening environmental safeguards.

An Indian carbon dioxide removal developer will scale biochar-based carbon credits from a cashew waste project in Cote d'Ivoire, it announced Thursday.

Africa’s Gold Standard - The African Union officially launched the continent-wide effort to set a standard for carbon markets – referred to as Africa’s Gold Standard, led by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in Addis Ababa last week. The initiative, originally launched in Aug. 2025, aims to enhance transparency, fairness, and African leadership in global carbon trading, ensuring that certification, methodology approval, and benefit distribution are controlled within the continent. AUDA-NEPAD said the framework will help coordinate member states, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and promote equitable participation in carbon finance, positioning Africa as a credible partner and solutions provider under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

An Australian material science company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a German industrial company to develop and test direct air capture (DAC) adsorber technology, it announced Thursday.

SBCE starting up - Brazil's Extraordinary Secretariat of the Carbon Market (Semc) opened a series of meetings last week to advance the implementation of the country's future ETS (Portuguese: SBCE). Federal officials meet with representatives from the National Confederation of Industry (CNI) in Brasilia to discuss the development of rules for reporting GHG emissions. The workshop also specifically explored the paper and pulp sector, while other sectors will be the topic of future workshops. Cristina Reis, the head of the Semc, said the SBCE's Permanent Technical Advisory Committee (CTPC) is in the process of being finalised after it received more than 50 applications, while a first meeting of the body is expected in March to discuss the initial steps of the system, defining the scope, the sectors, covered GHGs, and more. The CTPC will be responsible for presenting recommendations for the SBCE, including criteria for accrediting methodologies for compliance-grade offsets and allocation plans.

California offset futures first - Nodal Exchange recorded its first spread trade in the California Carbon Offset 0 DEBs (direct environmental benefits to the state) futures contract last week, a spokesperson for IncubEx told Carbon Pulse. The contract delivers compliance-grade offsets eligible under the California-Quebec joint carbon market that have have seen their invalidation period, as determined by state regulator ARB, expire. 100 lots were transacted, split evenly between the Feb-26 and Dec-26 deliveries.

There is good potential for the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution endorsing a landmark climate change opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) despite US resistance, an international climate policy expert told Carbon Pulse Thursday.

Tech topics – The UNFCCC has opened a call for proposed topics for consideration for the first global in-session dialogue under the Belem Technology Implementation Programme, to be held in June 2027. The programme, which was part of the broader COP30 political package, is aiming to support technology transfer, including via capacity-building, facilitating partnerships, and mobilising finance and other resources. Both governments and non-parties to the climate convention can submit proposals, with a deadline of July 1, 2026.

Called up – New Zealand’s government has appointed Stuart Calman as its new climate change ambassador, the Beehive announced on Wednesday. Calman previously served as the country’s ambassador to ASEAN in Jakarta, and has held leadership roles within the foreign affairs ministry related to climate change, energy, and sustainable economic development in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. An initial focus will be on COP31 and supporting Australia in its role as co-chair of the UN climate talks, the government said. Based in Wellington, Calman commenced in the role on Monday, replacing Stuart Horne who has taken up the role of New Zealand Consul-General in Honolulu.

A sustainable forestry developer has partnered with a digital technology provider to strengthen monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) of biochar carbon removal projects, they announced on Wednesday.