Carbon Pulse

Transactions of durable carbon removals have increased by more than 10 times over the past year, according to an annual report from a carbon credit ratings agency, supporting recent data from analysts that there is likely to be a strong future supply of nature-based credits from projects currently in the pipeline.

A shortage of skills in the workforce is one of the greatest obstacles holding back the scaling up of nature-based solutions worldwide, according to a European Commission official.

Concerns are mounting that high debt piles, or a possible global economic recession, could knock the energy transition off course.

India's draft notification on a new ecolabelling scheme is seen by some as bolstering demand for carbon credits among corporates seeking to demonstrate the very highest levels of climate leadership.

European carbon prices dropped sharply on Thursday morning, amid continuing weakness in energy markets and after one of the most bearish auctions of the year to date.

A programme backed by around €12.9 million of funding from German government agencies for boosting biodiversity on agricultural land has expanded to another state.

A Japanese project developer predominantly involved in agricultural projects has teamed up with a forest management firm to begin generating J-Credits in the Kansai region, while planning to offer a simplified process for other companies to establish themselves in the market through new technology.

A Japanese government body has partnered with three corporations looking to manufacture carbon negative concrete in a turn around given the product is typically classed as both high emissions and particularly hard to abate.

An Australian carbon project developer has raised concerns with how the government has communicated what it described as “significant” policy changes to the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme, saying further consultation is needed.

Conservation groups have delivered a statement to the Australian parliament calling for “urgent and sustained” funding toward efforts to conserve and restore biodiversity, alongside wider calls for greater transparency in the country’s environmental law reform process.

A daily summary of our news plus bite-sized updates from around the world.

A carbon contracts for difference (CCfD) programme under consideration by the Canadian government should avoid undermining the country’s CO2 price, including by cutting out the oil industry and carbon capture projects, numerous green groups and academics said in a letter this week.

After hitting their lowest point in nearly three years last week, US biofuel credit (RIN) prices under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) have since turned around, with market participants indicating the potential for supply constraints and a macro slowdown to put a floor under prices.

Oregon Clean Fuels Program (OCFP) credit values continued their weeks-long descent in recent days as traders reported the market seems more balanced, following on from even greater losses in neighbouring Washington state earlier this month.

A carbon intelligence platform has shared an update on the voluntary carbon market, which now appears stalled until COP28 negotiations provide clarity on Article 6, while highlighting strong growth in the project pipeline for nature-based projects.

A non-for-profit methane emissions certifier on Wednesday announced it will launch its certificates on ESG commodity marketplace operator Xpansiv's CBL Global Spot Exchange. 

The recommendations from the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) are more consistent than the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) requirements, the lead of an EU-established group has said.

A carbon storage project in the Netherlands obtained its final investment decision on Wednesday, becoming the first in the EU to reach this stage.

An alliance of asset owners has seen annual emissions across its 86 members fall for the first time, albeit marginally, as the group moves to defend its role in the face of rising political pressure against collective corporate climate action from some factions.

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should partner with larger companies in their supply chain to boost action on nature, the private sector Capitals Coalition has said.