The ICAR–Central Coastal Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-CCARI) and Core CarbonX Solutions Pvt. Ltd. launched 'Carbon Pathshala' in Old Goa, India, to train approximately 100 farmers in generating biochar-based carbon credits. The workshop, part of an ongoing research project, demonstrated converting agricultural residues into biochar using a portable pyrolysis unit. This initiative aims to provide smallholder farmers with additional income through verified carbon credits and enhance soil health. It establishes a framework for connecting coastal agroforestry residue management to voluntary carbon trading platforms.
Carbon asset manager Econetix and Vietnamese developer EcoNations launched an integrated bamboo biochar initiative in Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam, targeting 30,000 Puro.earth Carbon Removal Certificates (CORCs) annually. The project combines a 240-hectare bamboo plantation with a 40-tonne-per-day biochar manufacturing facility, operating under a 20-year crediting period from 2028 to 2048. To mitigate feedstock risk, the facility will initially use FSC-certified acacia and eucalyptus biomass, transitioning to 74% self-sufficiency from its dedicated bamboo plantation by Year 6. The initiative projects a cumulative removal of 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over its lifetime, leveraging a dual revenue model from CORC sales and local biochar distribution. Econetix's digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) platform will monitor the project.
Farmers participating in Uganda's Trees for Global Benefits project, which has issued over 7.5 million Plan Vivo-certified carbon credits since 2003, are reportedly cutting down trees planted for carbon offsetting. The farmers cite reduced food harvests due to tree growth and non-receipt of promised payments as reasons for felling the trees, some of which are converted to charcoal. DanChurchAid, a Danish NGO, invested 8 million kroner (US$1.2 million) in the project to facilitate carbon offsetting agreements for Danish companies. This development raises concerns about the long-term integrity and social impact of carbon credit generation from such projects.
Temasek-backed Climate Impact X (CIX) and UK-based Carbonplace announced their intent to merge, combining CIX's exchange and price discovery capabilities with Carbonplace's settlement infrastructure. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval, aims to create a comprehensive platform for environmental markets, integrating sourcing, trading, settlement, custody, and retirement. The combined entity will operate across Singapore and London, backed by 12 institutional shareholders including DBS Bank and Standard Chartered. CIX Chief Executive Oi-Yee Choo will lead the new company, with Carbonplace CEO Scott Eaton serving as president. Integration is expected to conclude in the first quarter of 2027.
Carbon Standards, a Swiss-based registry, launched a 30-day public consultation for its new EU Biochar Carbon Removal Standard (EU BCR) on 27 August 2026. This methodology offers a certification pathway for permanent carbon removals from biochar activities, aligning with the EU Carbon Removals and Carbon Farming Regulation (CRCF). It applies to biochar production and storage facilities within the European Union, providing two tracks: Track A for soil application and Track B for incorporation into cement, concrete, or asphalt. The standard details biomass sourcing, feedstock classification, and digital monitoring, reporting, and verification (dMRV) requirements, also mandating European Biochar Certificate (EBC) compliance. Stakeholders can submit feedback until 24 September 2026, enabling project developers to issue CRCF-compliant carbon removal credits.
Gold Standard has published Tool 10, a technical addendum to the UNFCCC Article 6.4 Methodological Tool 'Emissions from electricity generation and consumption', to help renewable energy projects in countries with limited electricity data meet high-integrity carbon accounting requirements. An independent assessment found that fewer than 15% of host nations globally possess the digital infrastructure for the preferred approaches in the latest UNFCCC grid-emissions methodology. Tool 10 introduces provisional measures, including a 10% conservativeness discount for annual data when hourly dispatch data is unavailable, and a 5% ceiling and 24-month administrative lag buffer for vintage-decay factors. It also clarifies conditions for treating intermittent generation sources with Battery Energy Storage Systems as non-intermittent. This initiative aims to make carbon finance more accessible in developing markets while maintaining environmental integrity.
Sylvera's analysis of initial Article 6.2 reporting reveals common issues in timeliness and completeness from host countries. These gaps, while expected in the early stages of the mechanism, pose challenges for verifying corresponding adjustments and ensuring credit integrity. The firm notes that such issues are critical for stakeholders including host countries, airlines under CORSIA, sovereign buyers, investors, and insurers. Effective national reporting is essential for preventing double-counting and maintaining the credibility of authorised carbon credits under the Paris Agreement.
Governments are increasingly influencing carbon markets, with 148 Article 6.2 agreements or memoranda of understanding signed globally. While progress is steady, only a few have resulted in actual Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcome (ITMO) transfers, with Thailand's transactions with Switzerland being a clear example. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is transitioning to the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) by late 2026, raising quality concerns for projects using older methodologies. Host countries are beginning to treat mitigation outcomes as sovereign assets; Kazakhstan, for instance, legislated a 30-50% ITMO retention ratio for its own Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). This trend, coupled with rising demand for high-integrity, authorised credits from compliance schemes and corporate net-zero commitments, is creating a supply shortage.
Carbon credit registry Verra has authorised an insurance policy from Artio for its durability pilot, expanding reversal risk management options for project developers. The Artio product meets all technical criteria for the pilot and is available to eligible Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Programme projects. Project proponents must receive Verra's authorisation before engaging with Artio. Launched in December 2025, the durability pilot allows financial instruments like insurance as alternatives to traditional pooled buffer accounts for Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) and Geological Carbon Storage (GCS) projects.
Rainbow initiated a public consultation on 21 August 2026 for its new biomass burial carbon storage module, part of its BiCRS methodology. The consultation period for public feedback will conclude on 21 September 2026. This module provides guidelines for credibly storing biomass underground to prevent decay and CO2 release, covering eligible technologies, biomass types, storage sites, and certification requirements. It specifies eligible biomass categories, including woody biomass and thermochemically converted biomass like hydrochar and biochar, and requires storage for at least 100 years in suitable subsurface sites. This development offers a new pathway for permanent CO2 storage for hydrochar and biochar developers.
The Carbon Exposure podcast concluded its fourth season with a debate on whether carbon credits function more as a commodity or a bond. Moderated by Daniel Lee of the Carbon Markets Academy of Singapore at NTU, the discussion featured Rene Velasquez, who argued for the commodity case, and Tommy Ricketts, CEO of BeZero Carbon, who presented the risk-based bond case. The debate explored how differing perspectives on carbon credit nature influence market structure, pricing, and liquidity. Key topics included the role of ratings as a quality proxy and the implications of standardisation versus inherent probabilistic complexity for market scalability.
The Mindoro Forest and Biodiversity Conservation Programme, led by the Center for Conservation Innovations Philippines Inc. (CCIPH), aims to conserve over 40,000 hectares of ancestral Iraya Mangyan forest from 2020 to 2049. The programme combines Indigenous patrols, ancestral-domain support, carbon monitoring, and livelihood projects under REDD+, supporting approximately 2,500 households. While local officials report reduced timber poaching and mining, the programme awaits independent verification, a finalised benefit-sharing agreement, and carbon revenue, expected no earlier than 2029. The long-term success hinges on transparent revenue-sharing and sustained community involvement during this waiting period.
BeZero Carbon has released a guide detailing the European Securities and Markets Authority's (ESMA) regulations for carbon credit rating providers. The guide outlines the requirements for transparency, governance, and methodology that rating agencies must meet to operate in the EU. This publication aims to help market participants understand the new regulatory landscape for carbon credit ratings. The ESMA regulation, effective from 30 June 2024, seeks to enhance the reliability and integrity of carbon credit assessments.
Verra has approved an insurance policy from Artio for use in its durability pilot programme, offering project proponents an additional option to address reversal risks. This policy meets Verra's durability pilot insurance criteria and is available to participating Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) and Geological Carbon Storage (GCS) projects. Launched in December 2025, the pilot tests fund-based or insurance-based pathways as alternatives to the pooled buffer account for durability. Projects must submit an expression of interest and receive Verra approval to participate.
Aker Solutions and Microsoft have signed a strategic agreement in Norway to accelerate global carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) projects. The partnership combines Aker Solutions' engineering and EPC capabilities with Microsoft's digital tools, AI, and digital MRV systems. This collaboration aims to reduce project risk, enhance business cases, and increase the bankability of CCS and CDR developments. The integrated model supports developers from feasibility studies to long-term operations, addressing hurdles like high capital investment risks and complex financial pathways.
In April 2026, the NGO Coalition of Liberia urged President Joseph Boakai to defer endorsement of the country's Draft Carbon Market Policy, citing a lack of genuine, inclusive, and credible national validation. Over 46,000 people have signed a petition supporting this call, organised by Rainforest Rescue. Civil society organisations remain concerned about land rights, revenue sharing, and free, prior, and informed consent for communities affected by carbon trading. The policy's development involved technical support from the Coalition for Rainforest Nations and Gordian Knot Strategies, with the African Development Bank denying claims of pressuring Liberia to pass the framework. UNDP Liberia is also working with the Carbon Market Authority to advance carbon market development, aiming to translate natural capital into sustainable economic value for communities.
Sequest announced a new carbon dioxide removal methodology that uses hyper-arid desert conditions to store agricultural biomass residue, preventing decomposition and creating a durable carbon sink. The approach involves transporting crop residues to desert locations and enclosing them in engineered chambers to maintain moisture levels below microbial activity thresholds. The 'Horizon' project in Saudi Arabia is the initial operational deployment, targeting an annual net removal of 1,000 tonnes of durable carbon dioxide. Puro.earth has completed a preliminary assessment of the core methodology, which aims to provide a scalable, low-complexity solution for durable carbon removal.
Google has launched the 2026 Google Carbon Removal and Superpollutant Elimination R&D Awards in the US, prioritising biochar carbon dioxide removal. The programme seeks proposals for technological innovations to process heterogeneous and high-moisture organic wastes, such as municipal solid waste and sewage sludge, which are currently underutilised due to technical hurdles and distributed supply networks. Each selected research project can receive up to $450,000, with applications closing on 25 September 2026 and funds disbursed by 31 December 2026. Projects must comply with Isometric’s Biomass Feedstock Accounting Module v1.3 standards and include techno-economic and life-cycle assessments.
Carbonmark reported carbon offset prices ranging from $0.10 to $650 per tonne of CO₂e on its marketplace as of August 2026. Renewable energy credits traded under $3, forestry credits between $1 and $24, and durable removals from approximately $110. The platform allows fractional purchases starting at 0.001 tCO₂e and provides a publicly verifiable retirement certificate for each transaction. Carbonmark states that all retirements are traceable to the registry of origin, ensuring a permanent public record of credit usage.
Beston Group has begun installing a BST-50 continuous biochar pyrolysis plant in Asia for a clean-tech startup. The facility will convert sugarcane straw into biochar, aiming to mitigate air pollution and generate carbon credits. The project faced challenges including base height discrepancies, misaligned anchor bolts, cramped space, and safety risks from an unvented crusher, which Beston Group addressed with on-site engineering solutions. Once operational, the plant will prevent open-field straw burning, enhance soil with biochar, and produce verified carbon dioxide removal credits.
German regulatory authorities revoked 2.1 million carbon credits from 30 upstream emissions reduction projects in China, citing improper claims. ExxonMobil's Belgian subsidiary had purchased nearly 96,000 of these invalidated credits at approximately €44 per tonne, a commitment valued at nearly €4.2 million. The German Environment Agency's investigation identified integrity deficits and deceptive practices, leading to the invalidation and requiring affected corporate holders to replace the voided volumes. This action has also initiated scrutiny against European auditing firms that verified the projects.
Berlin-based carbon credit platform Senken signed a multi-year offtake agreement with Carbonsate for 50,000 tonnes of certified carbon removal credits from 2026 to 2028 vintages. This represents the largest biomass geological storage commitment by a European buyer and the largest worldwide for an African project. Carbonsate's Namibian project addresses encroacher bush by burying harvested wood in engineered underground chambers, preventing decay and sequestering carbon for centuries. The agreement provides Carbonsate with revenue certainty to scale operations beyond 100,000 tonnes per year, with deliveries commencing in 2026. Credits are independently verified under the Puro.earth standard, offering European corporate buyers access to high-integrity carbon removal.
Green Carbon Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting Co. Ltd., and Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation jointly hosted an online seminar on carbon credit opportunities and decarbonisation in Vietnam. The event focused on navigating regulatory frameworks, the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), and pathways for credit generation, particularly from agricultural methane reduction. Mitsubishi UFJ Research & Consulting detailed Article 6 and JCM policy, while Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking covered transaction operations. Green Carbon presented its project development work and the 'Agreen' platform for streamlining project registration and asset monetisation. The initiative aims to accelerate corporate investment and facilitate high-integrity nature-based credit generation in Vietnam.
BeZero Carbon has published independent ex ante risk ratings for 14 carbon dioxide removal (CDR) projects supported by Microsoft. The evaluated portfolio includes biochar, improved forest management, soil carbon, and agroforestry projects across Argentina, India, Peru, and the United States. This initiative provides a comprehensive overview of risk profiles for the market's largest corporate carbon credit buyer, addressing uncertainties in early-stage carbon removal initiatives. The ratings assess structural additionality, permanence protocols, carbon accounting, and operational execution to measure the likelihood of credit issuance. This establishes transparent benchmark metrics for evaluating pre-issuance CDR investments and reinforces Microsoft's internal procurement standards.
Research funded by the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and published in Suomen Antropologi in April 2026 details negative impacts of Tozzi Green's carbon plantation project on the Ihorombe plateau in Madagascar. The study, by Jenni Mölkänen and others, found that the project restricted zebu herders' livelihoods and that promised benefits like schools and hospitals were not delivered to all affected communities. Interviewees reported unclear consultation processes, with agreements signed in French, a language many elders did not understand. Some locals also alleged that the company, in cooperation with the state, used military presence to intimidate them into accepting the project. The Tozzi Green project, registered with Verra, began in November 2022 and is scheduled to run until November 2062.
Gold Standard and Verra jointly launched a new tool on 20 August 2026, designed to assist host countries in reporting corresponding adjustments for carbon credits authorised under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement. The tool provides a single, comprehensive record of corresponding adjustments for all authorised credits issued by either standards body. It automatically populates the required summary table for submission alongside countries' 2026 Biennial Transparency Reports. This initiative aims to increase efficiency, reduce reporting errors, and promote consistent reporting of these units across market contexts. The collaboration seeks to simplify the practical complexities of Article 6.2 reporting for host countries.
Verra published minor revisions (v1.1) to its VM0038 Electric Vehicle Charging Systems methodology and associated module VMD0049. The updates include changes to applicability conditions based on EV market share, revisions to the positive list for additionality, and the adoption of VCS tools VT0008 and VT0011. VM0038, v1.0 will be inactivated on 1 September 2027, and VMD0049, v1.0 on 1 March 2027. Projects using the older versions can submit requests until 31 August 2027 and 28 February 2027, respectively, and continue applying them for their current crediting period.
New research published by the National University of Singapore identifies 42 million hectares of intact forest within Southeast Asian concessions, capable of releasing 1.2 gigatons of CO2 if cleared. The study indicates current carbon credit prices of $5-$12 per tonne are insufficient to incentivise conservation over commodity production. Researchers calculate carbon prices would need to reach $33-$1,677 per tonne to make conservation financially competitive. The findings suggest a broader mix of green finance and regulatory reforms are necessary, as carbon markets alone cannot protect these forests.
BeZero Carbon has published 14 ex ante rating reports on projects within Microsoft's carbon removal portfolio, offering independent pre-issuance analyses. These reports cover projects across improved forest management, soil carbon, biochar, and agroforestry in the US, Argentina, India, and Peru. The assessments, conducted since 2024, include carbon risk analysis, project execution and delivery risk, and beyond-carbon risks and benefits. This release provides insights into the due diligence standards applied by a major carbon removal buyer. Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and has contracted over 45 million tonnes of CDR for fiscal year 2025.
The Climate Action Reserve (CAR) has published criteria for insurance mechanisms to enable Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs) issued from 2021 onwards to be eligible for CORSIA. Developed with Howden, the framework addresses situations where host countries have not authorised corresponding adjustments or where confirmation of adjustments is pending. This pathway allows project developers and buyers to pursue CORSIA eligibility before host countries publish Biennial Transparency Reports, while safeguarding against double claiming. CAR has also revised its credit-labelling system, introducing 'Article 6 Authorized' and 'CORSIA Eligible-Authorized' designations, with the latter requiring an approved insurance mechanism and a Deed of Undertaking. CAR expects to release a list of approved insurance products and a CORSIA Deed of Undertaking in the coming weeks.
PT Yanmar Diesel Indonesia, Faeger, and IPB University launched a field trial in April 2026 to evaluate combining Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) with biochar application in Indonesian rice paddies. The project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane, from rice cultivation while maintaining crop yields. This multi-stakeholder initiative seeks to establish a scalable, low-carbon rice production framework for Southeast Asia, utilising pyrolysed rice husks as biochar. The research intends to generate empirical data to inform future agricultural carbon credit projects and offer farmers new revenue streams.
Google Research has announced its 2026 Carbon Removal and Superpollutant Elimination R&D Awards, offering up to $450,000 in grant funding for a single project. The initiative targets breakthroughs in high-moisture feedstock pyrolysis to expand global biochar production capacity. This aims to overcome current limitations in processing diverse organic waste, such as municipal solid waste and agricultural residues, which typically have high moisture content. The programme seeks innovations in feedstock preprocessing, reactor design, and low-cost processing for distributed waste sources. Successful applicants, selected after a September 2026 deadline, must produce open research and align with biomass accounting modules to confirm multi-century biochar stability.
Enable Earth has commenced industrial biochar production in northern Thailand's Wiang Pa Pao District, Chiang Rai, converting agricultural residues into verifiable carbon storage. The facility, operational since February 2026, uses pyrolysis technology to process corn residue, aiming to capture approximately 1,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. This initiative addresses regional agricultural burning and provides traceable carbon removal credits for hard-to-abate sectors. The resulting biochar is returned to local soils, enhancing nutrient retention and water availability for farms. The project establishes a scalable infrastructure for durable carbon sequestration while mitigating agricultural haze and rebuilding degraded farmland.
Vietnam's government approved an Implementation Agreement with Singapore via Resolution 235/NQ-CP, establishing a legal framework for carbon credit cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This allows Vietnamese entities to develop greenhouse gas emission reduction projects that can generate credits for transfer to Singapore. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will finalise procedures for the September 2025 agreement to enter into force. While the pact creates a binding bilateral framework for cross-border transactions, specific projects and methodologies are yet to be announced.
Berlin-based Senken signed a multi-year carbon removal agreement with Carbonsate for 50,000 tonnes of permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) through 2028. This represents Europe's largest biomass storage deal to date and the second-largest global buyer commitment in this category. The CDRs will come from Carbonsate's Puro.earth-verified biomass geological storage project in Namibia, which clears encroacher bush. Senken will allocate these credits to its corporate partners who require permanent CDR to meet net-zero targets. The agreement provides Carbonsate with the certainty to expand its Namibian operations, which have a potential capacity exceeding 100,000 tonnes annually.
Rich Gilmore, CEO of Carbon Growth Partners, stated that for most communities involved in blue carbon projects, the climate outcome is less important than other benefits. He argued that local communities protect mangroves for reasons such as food security, hurricane protection, and fishery support. Gilmore described the carbon market as a financing mechanism for these co-benefits, rather than the primary motivation for community engagement. He cited the BlueMX project in Mexico, where mangrove restoration led to a tripling of shrimp and crab catch rates, improving local livelihoods.
Carbonmark and Klima Protocol introduced an x402 endpoint, enabling AI agents and HTTP clients to discover live carbon market data, obtain credit quotes, and retire carbon credits on the Base public blockchain. This development facilitates 'agentic transactions,' where software autonomously initiates and completes payments or market actions within operator-defined limits. The initiative addresses the historical friction of human-centric internet commerce in VCM, offering machine-readable terms, native payment, and verifiable outcomes via blockchain infrastructure. This aims to increase transaction cadence and granularity, potentially scaling carbon markets by allowing machines to participate efficiently.
CO2 Sync, in partnership with Carbo-FORCE, launched a commercial pyrolysis and clean energy production plant in Price, Utah, on 15 August 2026. The CF-1000 facility converts regional wood waste and dead forest biomass into high-density biochar and generates emissions-free electricity and heat. This project addresses hazardous forest fuel buildup and agricultural nutrient inefficiency by mitigating wildfire risks and improving soil health. CO2 Sync plans to replicate this model for distributed biochar production and renewable power generation across Utah and the United States.
Juan Turrion, Head of Strategic Research at Invica Industries, presented research on waste-to-biochar conversion at the Institution of Agricultural Engineers in the UK. The presentation detailed how large-scale pyrolysis plants convert biomass waste into stable soil amendments. This process integrates permanent carbon removal with agronomic benefits, addressing soil degradation and enhancing agricultural sustainability. The work aims to combine carbon finance mechanisms with practical agricultural systems to secure high-integrity voluntary carbon removal credits. It demonstrates a viable circular economy model, enhancing soil structure and crop productivity while sequestering atmospheric carbon.
TSS Consultants is assessing over 100 biomass-to-biochar technology vendors for a Northern California client managing over 50,000 tonnes of forest waste wood annually. The evaluation focuses on identifying scalable pyrolytic conversion systems that are economically viable and meet stringent carbon accounting criteria for high-integrity carbon removal markets. This initiative aims to divert forest waste from wildfire hazards or open burning, reduce waste management costs, and enable participation in the carbon removal credit economy. The project seeks to establish a commercial pathway for processing forest waste into high-grade biochar suitable for carbon dioxide removal credits.