Sustainability and carbon market news

Spot prices for CORSIA-eligible credits jumped within days, as policymakers eased planned quality rules for the scheme’s first compliance phase and extended its role in international aviation policy through to 2035. The moves reverse months of...

The European Commission has published updated guidance on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), clarifying key requirements for importers as the regulation has reached the point of full implementation on 1 January 2026. An active European...

Spanish lender CaixaBank has launched a carbon credit trading platform aimed at corporate clients, giving businesses a single channel through which to compensate for hard-to-abate emissions in their value chain. CaixaBank executives reviewing...

The European Commission has opened a public consultation on draft rules clarifying how carbon prices paid outside the European Union will reduce importers' obligations under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The proposal recognises, for...

Norway and Pakistan have formalised a bilateral cooperation agreement on carbon markets under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement, marking Pakistan's first such deal. Norwegian and Pakistani business leaders discuss sustainable agriculture projects...

Two developments this week point to a carbon border landscape that is gaining both regulatory depth and global reach. In Brussels, a draft regulation proposes recognising Article 6 carbon credits under the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism...

The Council of the European Union has formally approved an amendment to the EU environmental law, setting a legally binding target to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by 2040 against 1990 levels. The decision marks the final...

Europe's independent environmental science advisers have called for the EU to begin preparations to include agriculture in its emissions trading framework without further delay. The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, the bloc's...

The European Commission has adopted the first certification methodologies under the Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming (CRCF) Regulation, establishing what it describes as the world’s first voluntary standard dedicated to permanent carbon removals....

EU carbon prices could surge to as much as €130 per tonne by 2028, setting the stage for a significant expansion in carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) across heavy industry, according to the latest Carbonomics report from Goldman Sachs....

European Union officials have reached a landmark political agreement on the bloc’s 2040 environmental framework, setting a collective ambition to cut net emissions by 90% from 1990 levels and defining how international carbon credits may contribute...

European Union leaders have agreed that international carbon credits should play a role in the bloc’s upcoming 2040 environmental target, marking a pivotal moment for future demand in the carbon market. However, the final target level remains...

The European Union could substantially increase resources for environmental initiatives by reforming how it prices aviation under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), according to new research commissioned by Carbon Market Watch and conducted...

The European Commission (EC) has unveiled a new environmental proposal that could significantly reshape the voluntary carbon market landscape. If adopted, the European Union could become the world’s largest buyer of UN-recognised carbon credits,...

The European Commission has released a strategic blueprint to guide the development of a framework for nature and biodiversity credits across the European Union. This initiative will run in parallel with existing carbon market policies but is...

The European Commission has formally proposed a binding environmental target for 2040: a 90% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels. The move is a key milestone in the EU’s broader strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by...

Carbon prices in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) saw a 7% rise in May, bolstered by heightened gas market volatility, renewed discussions on EU-UK ETS integration, and the launch of futures for the upcoming ETS2 market. Low-angle wide shot...

The United Kingdom and European Union have unveiled a significant environmental collaboration: the formal linking of their respective Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS). The agreement, announced at the UK-EU Summit in London on 19 May, represents a...

The European Commission has announced significant changes to its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and introduced a comprehensive package of proposals aimed at simplifying EU sustainability reporting requirements and reducing...

The European Commission’s 2024 NextGenerationEU (NGEU) Green Bonds Allocation and Impact Report sheds light on how green bond proceeds are transforming Europe’s environmental ambitions into action. With an estimated 55 million tonnes of CO₂...

At COP29 in Baku, Norway unveiled its largest financial commitment yet to the global carbon market: a $740 million initiative to purchase carbon credits under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6. This bold move aims to drive demand in the emerging...

The European Council has formally adopted a regulation establishing the first EU-wide certification framework for carbon removals. This marks a significant step toward standardising practices like carbon farming, permanent removals, and carbon...

The UK government has confirmed it will introduce a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in January 2027, mirroring a similar policy launched by the European Union. The UK CBAM will impose tariffs on imported goods with high carbon emissions,...

A recent study from the European Forest Institute reveals that Southern European countries, particularly Croatia, Spain, and Portugal, show the highest potential for carbon sequestration through afforestation in the EU. Unlike Central and Northern...

A Portuguese government agency, Adene, has launched an online portal for the country’s forthcoming domestic voluntary carbon market (VCM). The platform enables project developers to submit proposals aimed at reducing or removing carbon dioxide...

The European Commission has taken action against 17 EU member states for failing to implement the updated Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) into national law. This directive, an overhaul of the previous Non-Financial Reporting...

In August, the World Carbon Fund (WCF) bounced back into positive territory, reporting a net return of +3.63%, a significant improvement compared to July's -1.66% loss. This marks a recovery for the fund, which tracks five key carbon markets, four...

The European Union's cap-and-trade system, known as the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), has played a pivotal role in reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the bloc, according to a recent study. Launched in 2005, the EU ETS is the...

The European Union has enacted the Nature Restoration Law, a groundbreaking regulation aimed at reversing the degradation of ecosystems across the continent. Effective from 18 August, the law sets binding targets for restoring ecosystems crucial for...

In a groundbreaking development for European conservation efforts, the Transylvanian village of Apold in Romania has become the first place on the continent to implement a biodiversity credit scheme. This innovative initiative, driven by the NGO...

A new guide, CSRD Essentials, has been released to elucidate the European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This directive, effective from December 2022, mandates extensive sustainability reporting for over 42,500 EU-based...

France Valley, based in Paris, has announced the establishment of a €200 million ($214 million) fund dedicated to afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) projects across Europe. CEO Arnaud Filhol shared this news, highlighting the...

A French-based developer, Fronterra, is set to introduce the first biodiversity credits from the Peruvian Amazon by the end of the year. This initiative aims to bolster conservation efforts in the Sierra del Divisor National Park. Close-up of a...

The EU Council has officially adopted the corporate sustainability due diligence directive, marking the final step in its legislative process in terms of the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). This new directive imposes...

An Italian nature tech company, 3Bee, is set to introduce a standardised biodiversity framework by the end of this year, aiming to launch its first certified biodiversity credits in 2025 for the European voluntary market. Simone Mazzola, COO of...

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) will launch the LEH GO GREEN project in Monrovia. This initiative, backed by the European Union (EU) and its Member States, prioritises forest ecosystem and...

The European Union has been encouraged to amplify efforts in developing a biodiversity credit market, which could significantly drive investments towards biodiversity-rich, low, and middle-income countries (LMICs). This recommendation comes from the...

A newly inaugurated project, financed by the European Union, is set to expedite the integration of biodiversity strategies within corporate and governmental sectors across Europe. Named A-Track, the project boasts an €11-million budget and is part...

The European Union is contemplating the integration of emissions removal credits into its carbon market, according to a statement from a European Commission official on 17 April. This decision could potentially reintroduce carbon credits in the...

In a landmark decision, the European Union has committed to reviving its natural landscapes and marine areas with a new law mandating the restoration of 20% of its territory by 2030. The legislation, which received backing from the EU Parliament,...

The European Union (EU) officially embraced the much-anticipated Regulation 2023/2632 on European Green Bonds (Regulation). This regulatory framework outlines the criteria for bond issuers seeking to designate their environmentally sustainable bonds...

The European Commission took a significant step towards promoting sustainability reporting by adopting the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) under the Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive (CSRD). The adoption of these standards...

Forests play an essential role in many aspects of our lives, ranging from wellbeing to agriculture. The European Commission recognises the importance of forests in achieving the European Union’s (EU) climate and biodiversity objectives. It adopted...

Liimerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) announced it will plant 7,000 native Irish woodland trees in County Limerick this March to celebrate National Tree Week. This planting initiative is part of the organisation's commitment to...

The European Union (EU) has agreed on comprehensive guidelines for issuing green bonds to meet the bloc's net-zero targets. Compliance will be voluntary. EU member states and the European Parliament have jointly established a standard for businesses...

The European Union (EU) plans to provide permits, regulatory support, and easier access to public and private funding for specific strategic green technologies. This move aims to meet at least 40% of the EU's annual deployment requirements,...

A vote on the European law to ban the sale of new CO2-emitting cars in 2035 has been postponed until the end of March 2023. A representative for Sweden, now in charge of rotating the European Union (EU) presidency, said ambassadors from member...

The European Union wants to become climate neutral. That was a long time coming, but the climate package presented by the European Commission on Wednesday is becoming a lot more concrete. Twelve special laws are in place to ensure that European...

A senior official of the European Union has sounded the alarm over the Great Barrier Reef’s rapid decline in Australia. The official has also back-called to all the other countries for making cut on their emissions of greenhouse gas. Virginijus...