Funding solutions - Wilding Pine Network, Rewiring Aotearoa, Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust, 800 Trust, and 350 Aotearoa, have been awarded funding under Climate Action Aotearoa's Climate Action Fund, it announced. The initiative is designed to bring funders together to resource climate solutions at a scale individual trusts could not. The fund has committed NZ$1.5 mln ($872,000) to climate action in its first two years of operation. Last year's recipients included the Nature Conservancy, Lawyers for Climate Action, and Para Kore.

Listen up - A new four-part podcast series examines the implications of global temperatures surpassing 1.5C, some 10 years after the Paris Agreement enshrined that target. Titled Overshoot: Navigating a world beyond 1.5C, the documentary series explores the realities of a warming world and how to respond as climate impacts intensify. Laurie Laybourn, Overshoot’s writer and narrator, said the world is now moving beyond the 1.5C threshold after years of warnings went unheeded. The series aims to explain how this point was reached and offer insights on how to navigate the challenges ahead, launching one month before COP30 in Brazil. It features stories from climate negotiators involved in setting the 1.5C goal in 2015, individuals discovering flawed climate risk assumptions in financial systems, and engineers whose carbon capture ideas were adopted by fossil fuel companies. Voices of resilience from Easter Islanders, champion sailors, and global experts highlight ways to move towards a better climate future. The four episodes cover:

• Uncharted Territory – the origins of the 1.5C goal, the inevitability of overshoot, and whether catastrophe is inevitable.
• Carbon Suckers – the overreliance on speculative carbon removal technologies and possible alternatives.
• The Minsky Moment – economic blind spots that underestimate climate risk and how to improve foresight.
• Derailment – how escalating climate chaos is fuelling denialism and undermining action, and how to build societal resilience.

Wealthy countries are failing to deliver promised climate finance to poorer nations even as natural disasters driven by warming temperatures continue to worsen, with much of their reported aid coming in the form of loans that deepen debt burdens, a report said Monday.

The Asia Pacific’s grand carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCS) plans may derail efforts to hit the Paris target of 1.5C, add a vast volumes more of greenhouses gases to the atmosphere, and prop up fossil use for decades, or even add to its emissions given the energy demands of capturing, transporting, and storing CO2, a think tank has warned.

Assembly assembled - The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly has adopted a set of decisions aimed at strengthening global cooperation and accelerating the decarbonisation of air transport, aligning with its Strategic Plan for 2050 to reach net zero carbon emissions. At its triennial meeting in Montreal, the Assembly endorsed the ICAO Global Framework for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), Lower Carbon Aviation Fuels, and other cleaner energy sources, including a collective target of a 5% CO2 reduction by 2030. It also agreed on policy, regulatory, and financing pathways to support this goal. The Assembly backed the full operationalisation of the ICAO Finvest Hub to connect decarbonisation projects with public and private investors, particularly to help developing countries access climate finance. It reaffirmed its commitment to CORSIA, while pledging further support to states through the ACT-CORSIA programme. Beyond carbon emissions, the Assembly advanced work on issues such as aircraft noise, local air quality, single-use plastics, and non-CO2 climate effects. States also recognised the urgency of enhancing scientific input and cooperation to strengthen infrastructure resilience and adaptation to climate impacts, while acknowledging aviation’s role in disaster response. These decisions build on growing engagement: 154 States have now submitted CO2 Action Plans (up from 133 in 2022), 130 states are voluntarily participating in CORSIA, and sustainable aviation fuel production capacity is expanding globally. ICAO said the outcome signals a unified commitment across governments, industry, and investors to deliver net zero carbon aviation by 2050.

Courts and adjudicatory bodies around the world are playing an increasingly prominent role in defining states’ climate obligations and holding both governments and corporations to account, with the total number of climate change-related cases worldwide surpassing 3,000, according to a new UN-backed report released Friday.

A new academic study has called for the use of placebo testing to vet REDD+ baseline-setting methods, arguing that current forecasting approaches underpinning billions of dollars in carbon credits are far less reliable than techniques based on observed data.

California could achieve over half of its legally mandated 2045 net zero greenhouse gas emissions target using existing technologies, according to new research, but the state faces immense infrastructure, policy, and innovation challenges to deliver the rest on time, including securing as much as 75 million tonnes of CO2 removals per year.

A 42-year field experiment in the US has found that soil carbon gains induced by fertilisation on retired croplands can persist for more than three decades after nutrient inputs are halted, easing concerns that cutting nitrogen pollution could inadvertently trigger carbon releases.

Biomass buddies - Nature-based assets platform KARBNZ and renewable energy firm Energia Compartilhada do Brasil (ECB) have signed a letter of interest to establish a joint venture aiming to turn Brazil's natural resources into clean energy. The partners intend to leverage KARBNZ's portfolio of sustainably managed land across the country, and outlined a plan to build up to 10 state-of-the-art biomass processing and pellet production facilities, backed by as much as $150 mln from ECB. These factories will convert KARBNZ Global’s renewable biomass into certified pellets for international clean energy markets.

Chile’s Ministry of Energy has published the final version of its Decarbonisation Plan, confirming changes to the country’s CO2 tax for fixed sources and its intent to mobilise international climate finance through Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Canada’s leading climate policy thinktank says the country's industrial carbon pricing systems are dysfunctional, but it’s not too late for federal and provincial governments to turn things around.

SBCE plans soon - President Lula of Brazil will sign an executive decree next week to create the interim management body for the country's future ETS (Portuguese: SBCE), reported JOTA. The interim agency will operate under the Ministry of Finance (MF) with a dedicated team until a long-term agency dedicated to managing the SBCE can be established. In the coming months, the new secretariat will work on establishing MRV rules and structuring governance for the SBCE, for instance. 

Methane emissions from the US’s highest-producing oil field in Texas have roughly tripled over the last 14 years, despite significant emission reduction efforts among independent upstream producers in recent years, according to an analysis presented Thursday.

CO2 capture commences - Mid America Agri Products/Wheatland (MAAPW), an ethanol producer based in North Platte, Nebraska, announced on Friday it has begun capturing CO2 at its 48-mln-gallon-per-year (166 mln litre) Madrid facility, with volumes set to move on Tallgrass’ Trailblazer Pipeline for permanent storage in Wyoming. As the first customer to supply CO2 to the pipeline, MAAPW said the project enhances ethanol’s competitiveness in low-carbon markets and bolsters Nebraska’s rural economy.

Green investment – Brazil's development bank (BNDES) and the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) launched a fund on Thursday with a target of raising $1 bln. The resources will be directed towards projects in Brazil that support the energy and ecologic transition, green infrastructure, the bioeconomy, mining sector, and other industries that can be developed through bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The goal is for BNDES to invest $400 mln in the vehicle and CEXIM $600 mln, and for the fund to start operating in 2026.

Canada risks losing its early lead in carbon removal (CDR) unless Ottawa expands procurement and support beyond direct air capture (DAC), developers and policymakers warned at the Carbon Removal Forum during Toronto Climate Week on Thursday.

A forestry services organisation will deploy a marketplace next week for certified Spanish carbon credits from forest reforestation and conservation projects through digital, public, and programmed auctions.

The Trump administration would look to “balance” a Biden-era phasedown of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by extending phaseout deadlines for some refrigerants and raising their global warming potential (GWP) thresholds, according to a proposed rulemaking.

Wishing it was in my backyard – CEO of Canadian energy company Enbridge, Greg Ebel, said that most of the company’s investment is going into the US due to a suite of environmental and energy regulations introduced under the former Trudeau government, Bloomberg reported. An emissions cap on energy producers and a carbon levy are among the policies to blame, Ebel said. Two thirds of the company’s C$30 bln investment programme are going to the US. He added that PM Mark Carney’s recent moves to speed up major project development are positive but insufficient.

Not in my backyard - A West Virginia county commissioner has expressed scepticism at the prospect of a CO2 storage project within the state's jurisdiction, local news WTOV-9 reported Thursday. Energy company Tenaska plans to inject CO2 in West Virginia as part of a tri-state project across Ohio and Pennsylvania. Tommy Ogden, Hancock County commissioner, said that he is worried about the region taking on environmental risk associated with an unproven technology, noting the presence of abandoned oil and gas wells in the county. The two other commissioners did not respond to request for comment.

Washington's Department of Ecology (ECY) will offer roughly 7% more allowances at the Q4 current auction in December than it did in the previous quarterly sale, according to a notice published Friday.

Mandate meltdown - US House Republican leaders have filed a court brief backing the Trump administration in litigation over California’s vehicle emissions standards, siding against the state’s effort to preserve its authority to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035, E&E News reported. The move comes after Congress, using the Congressional Review Act, struck down three Biden-era waivers allowing California to set stricter pollution rules, which the US EPA had repackaged as regulations. Republicans argued California’s challenge undermines congressional authority and violates separation-of-powers principles.

Gas growth - US-based utility Duke Energy filed a new long-term power plan for the Carolinas this week, laying out major shifts in its generation mix as electricity demand surges from data centres and new manufacturing projects. The utility said it will add nearly 10 GW of new natural gas capacity by 2033, pursue new nuclear projects in North and South Carolina, and delay the retirement of three coal plants. At the same time, Duke is cutting back its solar build-out, shelving offshore wind until at least 2040, and leaning more heavily on battery storage. Company officials said the plan responds to Trump administration policies that scale back renewable tax credits while boosting support for nuclear and coal, and to state-level laws prioritising reliability over emissions targets. The changes drew criticism from North Carolina Governor Josh Stein (D) and environmental groups, who said Duke’s retreat from wind and slower solar growth mark a step back from the state’s clean energy future.

The largest political group in the European Parliament, the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), is holding off on taking a position on the bloc’s 2040 climate target until EU leaders reach an agreement, raising fresh doubts over whether institutions can finalise a deal ahead of COP30.

EU carbon allowances hit a seven-month high on Friday after the bulls took control and drove the market through a number of key resistance levels, pushing the benchmark price beyond €79.00 where it ended the day 2.2% higher, the third consecutive daily gain for EUAs which finished the week up 4.2%.

EIB climate roadmap 2.0 now public – The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group published its “Climate Bank Roadmap Phase 2” on Friday, with the full 33-page document now available online. The 27 EU member states, who are the shareholders of the EIB, approved the document on Tuesday by unanimous vote, the group said. In a statement, the EIB said it remains committed to dedicating over 50% of its finance to climate and environmental objectives – supporting at least €1 trillion in green investment this decade – and to the Paris alignment of all new operations. More detail in our story here.

US govt shutdown drags – Democrats and Republicans are continuing to blame each other amid the US government shutdown, E&E News reported earlier this week. The outlet said the two sides could drag the funding impasse between the Trump administration and Congress out for days or weeks, disrupting government services including environmental enforcement and energy permitting. (E&E News)

Starving US data centres – Delaware is considering limits for data centres, E&E News reported on Thursday. The outlet said businesses that draw more then 20 MW of electricity would need approval from the state’s Public Service Commission, under recently introduced Senate Bill 205 (SB 205). Delaware has a number of data centres under development, including mega-build Project Washington. The project is expected to use as much as 1.2 GW of electricity per hour – twice as much as every home in the state. Data centres are widely considered a major concern for US grid stability. (E&E News)

AB 30 rubberstamped – California Govenor Gavin Newsom has signed into law Assembly Bill 30 (AB 30), aimed at bringing down the cost of gas in California, according to a release. The state legislature passed the bill in early September, authorising the sale of gasoline containing blends of up-to 15% ethanol by volume, also known as E15.

City carbon credits – In Brazil, public employees of Curitiba, Parana, took part in a closing workshop with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), marking the end of a pilot project on productive restoration. The programme assessed the benefits of expanding urban agriculture in the city and the potential creation of a municipal carbon credit market. Generated through ecological practices in agriculture and composting, the credits could be worth R$19.8 mln ($3.7 mln) over 20 years, according to Curitiba’s estimates. The idea of a municipal carbon credit market has previously been proposed by a city council member, while the next step of the UNEP partnership will be the inauguration of an urban farm on Oct. 18.

Berlin is promoting its Low Emission Steel Standard (LESS) at EU level, as the European Commission prepares to unveil its “lead markets” initiative later this year, aimed at spurring demand for green industrial products.

Blackout report – An 45-person expert panel set up by European transmission grid operators group ENTSO-E published its “factual report” into the Apr. 28, 2025  blackout in continental Spain and Portugal on Friday. This unprecedented incident resulted in a total loss of power in the two countries – the most significant power system event in Europe in over two decades, said ENTSO-E. The report details the system conditions on the day, sequence of events, and restoration process. It forms the basis for a final report, due in Q1 2026, that will include a detailed root cause analysis and recommendations on how to prevent similar incidents in future. In a reaction to Friday’s report, energy think tank Ember said it confirmed that the Iberian blackout was not caused by over-reliance on renewables, but by a series of cascading events that escalated due to multiple system failures. SolarPower Europe highlighted the issue of a lack of voltage control – and pointed out that renewables were not legally allowed to participate in voltage control at the time of the incident. On June 12, Spain enabled this, which the trade association said will allow for a more robust system less likely to see a repeat of what happened in April. (Report)

Valencia floods relief – The European Commission on Friday proposed nearly €1.6 billion in EU funds to help Spain recover from Valencia’s deadly October 2024 floods, which claimed over 230 lives and caused widespread damage. The package includes €945 million from the EU Solidarity Fund and €645 million reallocated via the RESTORE mechanism to support recovery, repair, and reconstruction efforts. Advance payments have already supported emergency operations, with further disbursements pending approval from EU institutions.

Misleading 'like-for-like' principle – The 'like-for-like' principle to frame emissions and removals as equivalent undermines the integrity of climate policies and ignores the full reach of unquantifiable climate impacts from GHG emissions,argues Carbon Market Watch (CMW). Anthropogenic emissions cannot truly be balanced by temporary removals, given their limited permanence and reliability, and so removals should be the last resort to manage emissions that cannot be avoided or reduced, the NGO claims. The like-for-like logic risks relying on the cheapest available removals and is particularly damaging when abused to avoid emissions reductions, particularly for short-lived pollutants such as methane, it says. And while nature-based solutions like restoring forests are key to enhancing biodiversity and addressing climate change, they should be kept separate to emissions reductions, the NGO argues. CMW calls for more precise policy to define where removals are applicable, to push for reductions above all, and to ensure only high-quality removals are used.

Two US-based policy research organisations announced Friday the launch of a new initiative aimed at helping Global South governments to design, build, and implement pollution cap-and-trade markets.

Three major carbon crediting bodies have taken major steps to integrate their systems with Indonesia’s national carbon market framework, with Verra signing a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the government and Gold Standard launching detailed implementation guidance and a pilot programme.

Net zero no longer in vogue - Ralph Lauren has scrapped its target to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, shifting its climate strategy towards nearer-term, rolling five-year GHG reduction goals. The company announced the move alongside the release of its latest sustainability report, saying the revised approach will focus on delivering measurable results and ensuring accountability. The luxury fashion brand has already surpassed its current goal to cut emissions 30% by 2030 against a 2020 baseline, reporting a 34% reduction to date. It attributes this progress to a strategy emphasising fewer but higher-quality products, supplier decarbonisation initiatives, and the use of lower-impact materials. The company plans to maintain this trajectory while pursuing growth to reach $10 bln in sales by 2030, and intends to set a new 2035 target once it has better data and technical capacity. The shift makes Ralph Lauren the latest major firm to recalibrate long-term climate pledges amid growing political, regulatory, and economic pressures. Several companies, including Asos, Crocs, and Under Armour, have recently revised or abandoned net zero commitments, citing factors such as regulatory uncertainty, litigation risks, and the need to ensure that goals remain realistic and credible. A fuller update on Ralph Lauren's sustainability strategy is due early next year. (Business of Fashion)

A US trade court has upheld a Commerce Department determination that South Korea’s full free allocation of emissions allowances under its national carbon market constitutes a ‘de facto specific’ subsidy, rejecting a challenge by Hyundai Steel over the way the agency measured the benefit’s distribution.

The launch of the first mass-market electric vehicle with a semi-solid-state battery could start to trigger widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption among European drivers and hence reduce emissions under the EU's incoming second Emission Trading System (ETS2) carbon market.

A Singapore-based digital securities company on Friday partnered with the UN-affiliated Centre for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe (CEDARE) to develop carbon markets across 22 Arab countries.

In your hands - Indonesia's Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq this week urged private companies to push for UN recognition for carbon credits from peatland restoration, Indonesia Business Post reported. He said peatlands’ carbon storage capacity is up to 10 times greater than terrestrial forests, estimating national reserves at around 55-56 bln tonnes of CO2e. Indonesia wants to restore 3.3 mln ha of the country’s 13.4 mln ha of peatland, with firms expected to rehabilitate areas within their concessions and surrounding buffer zones.

A UK-based carbon removal crediting body is seeking feedback on a draft methodology for mangrove restoration activities.

An environmental markets product developer has appointed a new head of its European business.

On holiday - China's national emissions market will be closed Oct. 1-8 for the Golden Week holiday, and trading will resume Oct. 9, according to a notice by Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange (SEEE). The Chinese carbon permit price has been trending downwards, falling below the RMB 60 ($8.41) mark for the first time since July 2023. Analysts expected the price to dip further in the coming months amid selling pressure among emitters.  

A group of large companies has penned a letter to the European Commission raising concerns about the impact that the announced delay of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) might have on many businesses across the bloc.

Veyt has appointed Matthew Watson as CEO as the Oslo-based low-carbon market intelligence provider moves into a new growth phase, the company announced this week.

A climate technology company has announced plans to build its first large-scale industrial biochar carbon removal facility in the Netherlands.

Unfair loophole - The application of the EU ETS to aviation is a "grievous tax on efficiency in Europe" - raising operating costs for EU carriers while allowing non-EU airlines to avoid carbon pricing, said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. The tax needs an overhaul as it distorts energy costs and undermines European competitiveness, he said this week. Non-EU long-haul airlines account for 53% of European aviation CO2 emissions but pay no environmental taxes, whilst European short-haulers bear the full cost despite generating less than half of emissions, he pointed out. He called the scheme unfair because "no other economic bloc is doing this". The ETS loophole that partially or completely excludes non-EU carriers flying in European airspace distorts energy costs and undermines the whole principle of ETS, whereby cost should be applied consistently, said Renewabl CEO Juan Pablo Cerda. (Montel)

Verra has launched a new digital form to simplify how project developers request Core Carbon Principles (CCP) labels for carbon credits issued by the voluntary standard.

Members of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) have decided to disband and end operations immediately following a vote by the 100-plus strong membership group after a flurry of defections caused by US government pressure, the organisation said on Friday. 

Top players in Taiwan's export-driven manufacturing sector have urged the government to consider incentives for frontrunners and industry competitiveness when formulating the island's planned carbon pricing policies, a seminar heard this week.

Here to help - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) this week launched its 2025-29 strategy for Indonesia, according to a press release. The plan prioritises clean energy transition, with support for geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar projects, power grid upgrades, and regional links via the ASEAN Power Grid. ADB will also back carbon market development, offering technical assistance to mobilise green finance. The bank said Indonesia has vast carbon sequestration potential and sees industry decarbonisation driving private investment.

Let us know - The joint committee for the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) between Japan and Thailand has indicated a way for project developers to submit proposed methodologies in line with the JCM track under the Premium-T-VER. The committee is also seeking comments on sustainable development and safeguards assessment reports for two Thailand-based emissions reduction projects.  

The NZU price finished flat on Friday, as traders are growing increasingly sceptical that it will reach the NZ$68 ($39.57) auction price floor in time for the end-of-year sales event.

Line by line - The developer of Australia's Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro scheme has flagged further cost blowouts, with it directing contractors to undertake a comprehensive 'line by line' reassessment, Renew Economy reports. The overdue and over-budget project by government-owned Snowy Hydro has not seen its productivity improvements delivered as expected, and it can no longer absorb the costs associated with its geological challenges, the company said. Snowy CEO Dennis Barnes said the project was 67% complete. The scheme was announced in 2017 by the federal government, which expected the project to be delivered for A$2 bln ($1.3 bln), but now the total bill will likely exceed A$20 bln, according to analysts.

Hydrogen pivot - Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched a study to formulate a logistical plan to export green hydrogen and green ammonia from India, under the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry's  “Global South Future-Oriented Co-Creation” initiative. The study will develop the plan for cross-border utilisation of green ammonia produced in India, with economic evaluations for use in Singapore and other markets, led by MHI in collaboration with India-based Hygenco.

Shareholder pressure – Australian energy company AGL has faced strong investor opposition, with nearly 31% of shareholders voting against its Climate Transition Action Plan at the company’s annual general meeting on Oct. 3, signalling doubts over AGL’s ability to cut emissions fast enough. The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility has argued the plan lacks credible gas and coal phaseout timelines, renewable buildout, and electrification measures, saying that Australia’s biggest corporate emitter must step up its transition efforts.

Feed funding - Australian agritech company Immersion Group has received A$450,000 ($297,000) from the Victorian state government to conduct a feasibility study and business case to support a future seaweed production facility in Portland, it announced. The studies will priorities community engagement, engineering design, planning assessment, and a business case, the company said. Immersion Group aims to supply methane-abating asparagopsis seaweed to dairy farmers in the region.

California Carbon Allowances (CCAs) started October by pushing towards the $32 mark on Thursday, as the market continues to anticipate next steps following September's ETS extension agreement.

Australia's recently announced Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) has few announced tools to help it get there, save the Safeguard Mechanism, while the sector plans lack the policy backing to underpin the increased emissions reduction targets, experts have warned.