More than 100 NGOs and academics from around the world have signed a letter to the New Zealand government, urging it to not proceed with planned changes to the country’s climate law which would limit tort claims for damage arising from climate change.  

The US EPA submitted a rule for review to roll back its regulations on fossil fuel-powered energy sources, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to support coal- and gas-burning electricity amid growing demand from data centres.

RGGI Allowance (RGA) futures prices moved back into the mid-$40 range after the market recovered from a programme statement asserting a commitment to affordability and as the Q2 auction approaches in a couple of weeks.

US CBAM backer defeated - Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), the most vocal Republican proponent of a US carbon tariff, was defeated in his party's primary process in his effort to win re-election, Axios reported. Cassidy had been accused of "disloyalty" by President Donald Trump, who backed one of Cassidy's challengers, Representative Julia Letlow, who has advanced to the two-candidate runoff. In a client note, analysts at Washington DC-based research firm ClearView Energy said Cassidy's defeat could mean a proposal for a federal carbon tariff under a Republican-controlled Congress is much less likely to succeed, or it could mean the Trump administration may be willing to give such a policy another look now that the issue is not necessarily associated with Cassidy.

Coal closure delayed - The US DOE on Monday issued an emergency order to keep the JH Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan, operational until Aug. 16, the latest in a series of such orders that have kept the facility running past its original intended retirement date in May 2025. The administration of President Donald Trump (R) said the move is meant to employ economic dispatch of power and minimise costs for the public, but the move was condemned as ultimately more costly and polluting by non-profit the Environmental Defense Fund, which is supporting ongoing litigation against the extension of the coal plant's lifespan.

Biofuels feedstocks – Brazil’s Ministries of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) and Mines and Energy (MME) have issued a joint ordinance establishing a minimum share of waste oils and fats in the production of biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and renewable diesel. The measure forms part of the implementation of the Fuels of the Future Law, aimed at increasing the use of lower-carbon fuels in the country’s energy mix. Under the new rules, biofuel producers will be encouraged to source at least 1% of their renewable feedstocks from waste oils and fats in 2026 and 2027, before the requirement becomes mandatory from Jan. 2028.

Stack attack – California-based electrolyser stack manufacturer EVOLOH said on Monday it has agreed to deploy a 2.5-MW packaged hydrogen production system at a 3M manufacturing facility in the US under a commercial-scale pilot project expected to begin operations in 2027, subject to regulatory approvals. The company said the project represents its largest deployment to date and will be used in an emissions reduction application at the plant while collecting operational data from a live industrial environment. The agreement expands an existing relationship between EVOLOH and 3M after the latter participated in the former’s $20 mln Series A fundraising round in 2024, while 3M also supplies sealing materials used in the company’s electrolyser stacks.

Core values – Oregon has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for drilling and subsurface testing services tied to a proposed appraisal well assessing the suitability of basalt formations for potential CO2 storage in the northeast part of the state. The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) said the project would target the Columbia River Basalt Group in Morrow County’s Lower Umatilla Basin, with proposals due by June 24. DOGAMI is seeking bids covering drilling and physical sampling, wireline geophysical evaluation, hydraulic and reservoir testing, or combined consortium-led proposals for the effort.

SBCE scope - Brazil's Extraordinary Secretariat of the Carbon Market (SEMC) will unveil Tuesday a proposal for defining the sectoral coverage of the country's future emissions trading system (Portuguese: SBCE). According to Brazil's Ministry of Finance (MF), the proposal includes a progressive inclusion of sectors in the SBCE, specifying which activities are in each stage, as well as the phasing criteria. The SEMC anticipates that the regulation will undergo public consultation in July, and that the final version will be published in the second half of 2026.

A US forestland manager on Monday announced a management restructuring aimed at expanding its ability to quantify and report environmental benefits beyond carbon, as it said investors are placing greater emphasis on nature-related risks and environmental disclosures.

Germany and the UK have led a European resurgence in wind electricity generation in early 2026, as a predicted coal rebound, amid surging gas prices, has failed to materialise in the opening four months of the year.

Scotland-based Plan Vivo launched on Monday a public consultation on a new grassland management tool suite under its climate standard, marking the certifier’s latest push to expand carbon accounting methodologies for complex land-based ecosystems.

The Nature Catalyst investment platform for Southeast Asia soft launched on Monday while revealing agreements to scale nature-based solutions (NbS) with four companies.

Phase 1 CORSIA prices fell sharply again last week, with spot prices for the UN international aviation offsetting scheme bid slipping below $11, while futures contracts slipped to lows not seen for two years after a meeting of EU leaders raised doubts about demand.

European carbon prices marginally lower on Monday despite steady demand, as positive - if not yet bullish - sentiment on the EU ETS price outlook was overcome by a noticeable increase in geopolitical tensions after the US and Iran rejected each other's proposals for peace negotiations.

Italian ETS compensation plans - taly’s energy regulator has begun work to develop a mechanism to compensate gas-fired power plants facing high costs, pending approval from the European Commission, Montel reports. Italian energy regulator Arera said Monday that the process would run alongside talks with the European Commission on how to fast-track the scheme if Brussels gives its approval. Under the proposal, grid operator Terna would determine compensation levels using projected electricity price differences between Italy and neighbouring markets, aiming to maintain the country’s net power imports and limit disruptions to cross-border electricity flows. Arera added that reimbursement rates would be updated monthly or seasonally to account for changing market conditions over the course of the year. The regulator also said the costs of the scheme would ultimately be borne by consumers benefiting from lower wholesale electricity prices, while power plants receiving compensation would be required to incorporate the payments into their market bids. The country announced earlier this year it would prepare a compensation scheme for gas-fired power plants as part of broader efforts to lower electricity prices and shield consumers from high energy costs. Under the proposed mechanism, the government would reimburse gas generators for certain fuel transport charges and potentially for costs linked to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which are normally passed on through wholesale power prices.

UAE gas bypass - The United Arab Emirates is accelerating construction of a second oil pipeline designed to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, with completion targeted for 2027, as Gulf states seek to reduce vulnerability to regional conflict and shipping disruptions, the Guardian reports. The project, led by the state oil company ADNOC, will expand export capacity through the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman, allowing more crude shipments to avoid the strategic waterway through which about a fifth of global oil passes. The move comes amid heightened tensions involving Iran and repeated threats to maritime traffic in the strait, which have rattled energy markets and exposed the risks of dependence on the narrow shipping corridor. The UAE already operates one pipeline to Fujairah but aims to double bypass capacity under the new project. Analysts say the expansion reflects a broader regional push to strengthen energy security and protect exports from geopolitical instability.

A former stalwart of the UNFCCC has become the head of a non-profit data provider that connects carbon credit registries worldwide.

ECB push for “genuine energy union” – The European Central Bank (ECB) has called for the creation of a “genuine European Energy Union” among the EU27 to cut costs, boost energy security, and drive the bloc's decarbonisation. In a new paper, the ECB warns that the EU’s heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels and fragmented energy markets is undermining industrial competitiveness and leaving the bloc exposed to repeated energy shocks. European manufacturers face structurally higher and more volatile gas and electricity prices than key competitors, the paper points out, saying that better‑coordinated deployment of renewables could raise average solar and wind output by about 42% and 110% respectively compared with a low-coordination scenario. It identifies five EU‑level priorities: more cross‑border grid investment, innovative green finance, flexibility tools like storage and digitalised grids, more efficient and harmonised energy taxation, and a cohesive industrial policy to scale clean-tech manufacturing and strengthen strategic autonomy.

The European Commission’s action plan for fertilisers due on Tuesday will land amid renewed scrutiny of the sector after an investigation found executives and investors at major agribusiness firms sold more than $66 million in shares during war-driven price spikes.

A new systematic review of governance practices has identified 12 key principles that could improve the sustainability, equity, and long-term success of community-based marine restoration projects.

Germany is poised to miss its 2030 climate goals by a far wider margin than previously expected, according to a new warning from the country’s independent climate advisory council.

A carbon standard has unveiled a new protocol designed to improve how soil-based removal projects are measured and verified.

The European Parliament has appointed a Socialists and Democrats (S&D) lawmaker to steer a proposal to adjust the Market Stability Reserve (MSR), a key tool governing allowance supply in the EU carbon market, and has opted against accelerating the usual legislative process.

Greek aid for energy intensives – Greece will be able to support lower electricity levies for energy-intensive companies with €405 mln, an intervention greenlighted by the EU Commission on Monday. The scheme aims to reduce the risk of carbon leakage. Eligible beneficiaries, listed in Annex 1 of the 2022 Guidelines on State aid for climate, environmental protection and energy (CEEAG), will receive a levy reduction between 75 and 85%, depending on their risk exposure. The applicable reduction may not result in a levy below 0.5 €/MWh. Beneficiaries will have to implement certain energy audit recommendations, invest at least 50% of the aid in projects leading to substantial reductions of the installation's greenhouse gas emissions, or cover at least 30% of electricity consumption with carbon-free sources. The scheme will apply retroactively from Jan. 1, 2024 and run until Dec. 31, 2026. This aid replaces an earlier similar scheme, approved in 2018.

African countries with major forest resources should be able to use international carbon markets to finance nature protection, the head of a Tanzania-based forestry project developer told Carbon Pulse.

Chemical reaction – Ineos, a chemicals conglomerate chaired by British billionaire James Ratcliffe, has invested €200 mln in a collection of other chemical companies, the FT reported on Monday. The London-headquartered company said its move, seen as unusual given challenging market dynamics for the sector, is a reaction to an undervaluation of chemical producer companies. Ineos has not disclosed which companies it has invested in.

Amazon has pushed back against relying solely on carbon removals, a trend common among major corporate buyers, to instead focus on high-quality emissions reduction credits that it said were essential to scale voluntary markets.

International appetite for Brazil’s nature economy is growing, but much of the capital still struggles to reach projects on the ground.

Technically sound - A UK facility aiming to convert renewable methanol into more than 200,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually has completed its pre-front end engineering design (pre-FEED) stage on time and on budget, according to a press release Monday. Essar Energy Transition's fuel production hub is integrated within the Stanlow refinery on the outskirts of Liverpool in northwest England. Locating it there enables the SAF produced to be blended with the company's production of conventional jet fuel and to use the existing export infrastructure, including pipeline and road distribution to supply UK aviation. The Pre-FEED included technical and commercial evaluations of the project and reconfirmed that the project offers a credible advanced SAF opportunity. Financial close is expected by the start of 2028.

Standard climate risk tools across financial markets materially understate physical climate risk, despite climate hazards already causing investors financial loss, according to think tank analysis of the climate risk strategy of Norway's sovereign wealth fund.

The UK should bring forward the planned extension of its Emissions Trading System (ETS) to international maritime emissions to 2027, from 2028, a coalition of transport, environmental, and clean fuel organisations said Monday.

The first meaningful supply of carbon credits traded under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6 mechanism will only emerge closer to 2030, as countries build the accounting and regulatory infrastructure needed to authorise trades, according to two UNEP officials.

China’s thermal power generation continued to expand in April, while renewable energy sectors posted a mixed performance, according to data released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS).

Saudi Arabia will soon be ready to produce green hydrogen-derived ammonia for a fraction of the costs currently seen in Europe, but slow EU policy implementation and trade bottlenecks are still holding back large-scale offtake and investment decisions, according to Acwa, a Saudi-listed developer.

Irish airline Ryanair has reported it has now hedged its entire EU and UK ETS position for the next financial year at a higher price, compared with a year ago.

Hydrogen alliance - The Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs) has launched a new platform - the Global Liquid Hydrogen Alliance - designed to advance pure green hydrogen and liquid hydrogen as a scalable and commercially viable zero-emission shipping fuel. Its aim is to convene organisations ready to build the liquid hydrogen value chain, in order to support the more than 600 hydrogen projects announced globally, backed by over €175 bln in committed investment. The alliance is open to companies across the value chain, and aims to position liquid hydrogen as a primary energy carrier for shipping - to accelerate creation of the $45 bln liquid hydrogen market and turn policy into deployment, said the press release Monday. This is in line with ongoing plans to develop a global carbon price for shipping under the IMO's Net Zero Framework that remains intact following recent negotiations.

New website - Fiji’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) has launched a 2026-2031 strategic development plan alongside a new website aimed at improving public access to climate and environmental information, it announced on LinkedIn. The platform consolidates policies, tools, and climate-related resources to support transparency, public engagement, and Fiji’s international climate reporting commitments. The initiative was backed by the Climate Finance Capacity Support Programme (CFCSP), which said the project forms part of wider efforts to strengthen Fiji’s climate governance, adaptation planning, and finance readiness.

The Tokyo metropolitan government has decided to extend its support for generating carbon removal credits, moving beyond nature-based projects to include technological solutions.

New NbS firm - Verdara, a new Saudi-based forestry and climate platform, has launched to develop nature-based carbon removal projects across Africa, its founder and CEO Habib Bukhamseen said last week on social media. The company is starting with an initial afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) programme covering more than 50,000 hectares and has a 15-year ambition to reach 1 mln hectares. Its first project announcement is expected soon, Bukhamseen said on LinkedIn.

New credit facility - HSBC has launched a dedicated $4 bln credit facility to help companies in China's clean energy and low-carbon sectors scale internationally and support decarbonisation efforts across the value chain. The bank said it will offer financing to eligible businesses operating in a range of sectors, including clean power, electrification of transport, data centres, and AI. China last year accounted for about 47% of global clean tech exports, and about two-thirds of global solar and battery exports, according to BloombergNEF.

PNG power – Papua New Guinea’s National Energy Authority has signed an MoU with the Global Green Growth Institute to strengthen cooperation on the mobilisation of finance for renewable energy, the Seoul-based intergovernmental organisation said in a press release on Monday. The collaboration, enabled by the Australia-funded Climate Finance Initiative for Resilience and Sustainable Transition project, will see the partners prioritise a biodiesel development in East New Britain, geothermal energy in Bougainville, wind energy in the Gulf province, solar power in Manus, and hydropower development in Hela, among other opportunities. The MoU runs for three years.

Environmental campaigners are optimistic that the UN General Assembly will vote on Wednesday to adopt a resolution to endorse last year’s historic International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate change, which found that states have a legal obligation to cut GHG emissions.

The UN’s climate secretariat has launched test versions of registries to facilitate the transfer and trade of emissions reduction units under the Article 6 mechanisms, with a view to launching the final systems at the end of the year.

Shanghai is seeking to expand the coverage of its emissions trading scheme by lowering the entry threshold for certain industries as part of its ETS reform strategy through 2030.

Compliance carbon markets could become the biggest source of demand for transition credits in Asia’s coal transition, provided project developers can prove that early closures are genuinely additional amid falling renewable energy costs, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report.

Brazilian lift – The World Bank has approved a $500 mln loan for a project to drive low-carbon investment in northeast Brazil, it said in a press release on Friday. The bank’s cash is part of a $968 mln total package to be channeled via local development bank Banco do Nordeste, with additional support from the Climate Investment Funds’ Clean Technology Fund ($30 mln concessional loan), a $10-mln grant from the World Bank’s Livable Planet Fund, and another grant from the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program of $5 mln. It will also leverage more than $423 mln in commercial capital, the bank said. Specifically, the financing will support first-of-its-kind and commercial demonstration projects in sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel, low-carbon fertilisers, cement, and steel, as well as the infrastructure needed to enable these. Brazil’s northeast has some of the country’s best renewable energy resources but is one of the country’s least industrialised areas and has some of the highest rates of poverty, the bank said