Gabon biochar plan - French mining group Eramet and the Gabonese government have signed a MoU covering expanded domestic manganese processing, biochar production, and an industrial seed fund, as part of a wider roadmap that could see up to 700,000 tonnes of manganese ore processed locally each year by 2031, French outlet RFI reported Wednesday. Eramet will now assess three possible processing projects, while Gabon has pledged to provide the energy and other conditions needed to make the investments viable.

Jury's still out - The recent FIFA World Cup may have been responsible for fewer GHG emissions than originally estimated at almost 3.2 MtCO2e, compared to the 3.8 MtCO2e generated by Qatar 2022, and the 3.7 MtCO2e put forward in the bid's environmental assessment, according to The Conversation. The lower footprint was helped by the fact that all 16 stadiums already existed and because 14 of the 96 team journeys between group matches covered no major distance. Also, this year's event drew almost double Qatar’s crowds but their individual emissions were lower. However, the real verdict won't be known until August when US, Canada, and Mexico border agencies will release spectator data. Were this to show a mostly North American crowd, then the 3.8 MtCO2e estimate will stand, but if it shows mass long-haul travel, the total climbs toward the 9 MtCO2e predicted by Scientists for Global Responsibility, which would make it the most polluting event in sporting history.

Progress is being made to advance global climate action in the leadup to COP31 in Turkiye as governments and the private sector engage on the key themes of electrification, nature stewardship, agricultural transformation, urban resilience, and social development, report the UN's Climate High-Level Champions.

India’s mangrove plantation programmes should be evaluated by long-term ecological outcomes rather than sapling counts, a study suggested.

Polish climate referendum - Polish President Karol Nawrocki has submitted a revised proposal to parliament for a national referendum on Sep. 27 on whether Poland should continue implementing EU climate policy, after the Senate rejected his first bid in May. The new question simply asks: “Are you in favour of Poland implementing the EU’s climate policy?” Nawrocki argues the bloc’s climate measures, including the EU ETS, impose excessive costs on Poland, despite recently proposed reforms. However, the more progressive government-backed Senate, the upper house of parliament, is again expected to reject the proposal. Government officials say Poland cannot unilaterally opt out of the ETS without incurring big fines or leaving the bloc. (Notes from Poland)

Scrapped support - Wakefield Council in northern England has agreed to scrap its target to become a carbon-neutral authority by 2030 and reduced its climate change budget by £170,000, after the council's administration changed in its political leadership from the Labour party to right-leaning Reform. Previously under Labour, the council had pledged to become a carbon-neutral authority by 2030, but now, Cabinet members of the Reform-led administration have voted in favour of overturning climate change and biodiversity declarations made in 2019. The council is now expected to withdraw from the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission's climate action pledge, a public commitment for businesses and organisations to act on change change. (BBC)

A new record - Kenya will strive to break the Guinness world record for collective mangrove planting this weekend by mobilising 5,000 volunteers in Mombasa to jointly plant seedlings. Scheduled for Sunday, the initiative is being organised by the Kenya Scouts Association (KSA) in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), with strict verification to ensure seedlings are planted correctly and participants are doing so simultaneously. The mangrove drive fits into Kenyan President William Ruto’s national directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, aiming to push Kenya’s total tree cover to 30%. While the mangroves themselves will help buffer the Kenyan coastline from rising seas and provide essential breeding grounds for fish stocks. (Streamline)

The European Central Bank (ECB) is widening its climate-related collateral discount beyond bonds to cover certain bank loans, or credit claims, where the borrower is a non-financial corporation, it said on Friday.

The EU on Friday blocked a request from Russia to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to establish a dispute panel to examine the bloc's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Bill comes due - Elevated oil and gas prices since the start of the Iran war have cost Japan an additional $18.75 bln, with losses potentially exceeding $43 bln by year-end if the Hormuz crisis escalates, climate campaign group 350.org said. Even under a rapid normalisation scenario, Japan could face additional costs of $27-30 bln, according to analysis based on IMF and Goldman Sachs price scenarios and Japanese energy consumption data. The estimates exclude effects of higher food and fertiliser prices, inflation, and reduced economic output, meaning total costs could be higher. To limit further economic and climate damage, the organisation urged Japan to scrap plans to revive coal and cancel multi-mln dollar investments in US oil and gas.

European carbon prices edged lower on Friday morning, extending Thursday's €3.00 day-long decline as speculative traders took remaining profit after the market's 10% jump early in the week, and participants reduced exposure ahead of a tense weekend in the Middle East.

Risky business - Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC is preparing its investment portfolio for worsening physical climate risks, warning that the global transition to net zero is moving too slowly to avoid significant climate impacts, Bloomberg reported. GIC said in its latest annual report that it is using scenario analysis and third-party data to assess risks from wildfires, hurricanes, rising temperatures and sea levels, alongside exposure to carbon pricing and regulation. The fund estimated climate adaptation and resilience investment opportunities across public and private markets could grow to $9 trillion by 2050, from $2 trillion last year.

Meta has left a global scheme in which companies commit to sourcing all their power from renewable energy, having increased its gas procurement to power data centres, according to reports in the media.

The share of renewables in the EU's gross final energy consumption last year exceeded a quarter, while almost half of the bloc's electricity came from renewable sources, according to the latest official data.

Beko looks to COP31 - Europe's largest white goods manufacturer reported that low-carbon products accounted for nearly three-quarters (72.6%) of its turnover last year, and renewable electricity use approached two-thirds (63.5%) across its manufacturing operations. The Turkish company, with €10.7 bln in turnover in 2025, also listed numerous other climate achievements in a letter to stakeholders on Friday announcing its 2025 Integrated Report. It secured its first sustainability-linked loan with the International Finance Corporation; it received the highest score in its sector for the seventh consecutive year in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment; and it remained on the CDP's Global A List for Climate Change and Water Security for the second consecutive year. Beko has a net zero target for 2050 validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). It sees COP31 in Antalya as an opportunity to build on progress to date, and bring its sustainability experience to other markets. (Beko sustainability reports)

Battery electric cars surged to a fifth of all new car registrations in the EU in the first half of the year, as oil prices spiked on the back of the US-Israeli war against Iran.

A Vietnamese conglomerate has built the measurement infrastructure for carbon credit generation from its electric vehicle and charging network projects, which could collectively generate up to 4.5 million units, with room for exports under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement.

Germany’s environment and climate minister, Carsten Schneider, said the European Commission’s proposed overhaul of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) closely reflects German priorities, backing a package that would slow the pace of emissions cuts in the next decade while tightening conditionality for the distribution of free allowances to industry.

A hypothetical economy-wide EU-wide carbon price would deliver the bloc's 2030 climate target at the lowest average cost per household, but place a greater burden on poorer member states and households than the current national-plan-based approach, according to a study published Thursday.

Australia's Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has approved the stacking of credits generated through water quality improvement activities with the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme.

Shareholder pressure on Australian investment bank Macquarie Group over its fossil fuel financing weakened at its annual meeting this week after several large domestic pension funds withdrew support for a push seeking greater scrutiny.

Prices in China's national emissions market continued to climb over the past week despite the absence of the allocation plan for power plants, while the government is weighing options to further engage in the international carbon market. 

The Philippine National Irrigation Administration and a climate tech company have jointly launched a pilot project to generate carbon credits from rice paddies through alternate wetting and drying (AWD).

Methodology in the making - Tokyo-based startup Spatial Pleasure on Friday said its research project for developing an offset methodology for the transportation sector has been selected as a feasibility study under Japan's transport ministry. Transportation accounts for around 20% of Japan's CO₂ emissions, mostly from road traffic. The company will partner with Kyushu University to identify promising solutions, such as those for congestion and traffic demand management.

Steel under CBAM heat - The Indian government has said that the domestic steel industry must look to diversify, seek new markets, and boost decarbonisation to stay globally competitive, as reported by Deccan Chronicle. Ashwini Kumar, economic advisor to the Ministry of Steel, said. Kumar noted that under CBAM, market access in high-value destinations will also depend on the carbon intensity of the production process, along with the quality and price of the steel. With Indian steel marked as high carbon intensity, exports to the EU will face difficulties, he added.  

The Australian government has announced it is shuttering its Climate Active certification programme, saying the voluntary scheme is no longer needed.

International carbon credits under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement should only be integrated into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) through a centrally managed purchasing mechanism rather than allowing companies to buy offsets directly for compliance, according to a discussion paper published by the German Environment Agency (UBA).

Testing pact - DEKRA Korea has signed a cooperation agreement with Korea Testing Laboratory to support Korean automotive suppliers in meeting European Union requirements under Euro 7 and carbon regulations. Building on KTL’s brake wear particle testing facility, the collaboration is designed to strengthen certification frameworks and align Korean manufacturers with European standards.

Data centre NIMBYism - Eight civil society organisations have called on the Malaysian government to ban the development of data centres near residential areas, prompted by recent outcries from residents against proposed developments in Petaling Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, and Johor. The organisations, including RimbaWatch, Greenpeace Malaysia, the Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism, and Klima Action Malaysia, also called for an amendment to the Environmental Quality Act of 1974 to require data centres to perform Schedule 2 Environmental Impact Assessments, in an emailed press release. Until the amendments are enforced, the coalition demanded a moratorium on the approval of all new data centres and a stop-work order on any underway construction.

Canada CCUS tax credit consultation - Canada has launched a public consultation on a proposal to make the storage of CO2 through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) eligible for its carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) investment tax credit. Feedback is requested by Sep. 4, 2026. The proposal was first announced in the 2026 Spring Economic Update published in April following a commitment made under the Nov. 2025 MoU between Ottawa and Alberta.

California gasoline sales dipped 3% year-on-year (YoY) in April after the previous month's increase, while diesel dropped by a slightly larger percentage as retail prices hit historic levels, new state data showed.

Aspiring Article 6 project developers should independently calculate how many credits national regulators are likely to authorise for international transfer in their sector before developing large projects or pre-committing to credit sales, an Africa-based consultant and developer said this week.