Carbon markets
UN advises against offsets for carbon removal technologies
Billions of dollars are pouring into tech-based solutions to suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but the UNFCCC says they are unproven and pose unknown risks.
Verra boss steps down after criticism of its carbon credits
The carbon credit certifier has both grown rapidly and faced mounting integrity accusations during outgoing CEO’s tenure.
Verra’s revamped forest offset programme comes under fire
Verra picked a controversial carbon credit verifier to review its new forest offset rules and critics say the changes don’t fix the problem
Mitsubishi bets on carbon removal while keeping coal plants
Japanese engineering giant Mitsubishi has announced a major investment in carbon removal technology, despite continuing to run fossil fuel power plants.
Carbon discredits – Climate Weekly
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Carbon credit industry resists vulnerable nations’ call to fund adaptation
New carbon credit guidelines do not recommend a mandatory levy to fund adaptation despite calls from vulnerable countries and experts
Consultants close to industry shaped Australia’s controversial carbon credit policy
The government commissioned advice from expensive consultants from EY, a company that had also worked with carbon offsetters and the fossil fuel industry.
Carbon credit rule-makers must engage Indigenous People
Indigenous people protect the forests but the organisation writing up a rule-book for high-quality carbon offsets has not adequately consulted them
Revealed: How Shell cashed in on dubious carbon offsets from Chinese rice paddies
Shell’s rice farming offset projects are under review. Climate Home found them riddled with accounting loopholes and questionable integrity claims.
Corporations push “insetting” as new offsetting but report claims it is even worse
More companies claim that supply-chain carbon removal is the way forward. But a new report raises concern over the credibility and transparency of insetting.
Greenwash alert as Cop27 draft allows double claiming of carbon credits
Companies and countries could take credit for the same tonne of CO2 cut under rules being negotiated in Sharm el-Sheikh
Cop27 bulletin: Could polluter taxes fund loss and damage?
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John Kerry’s offsets plan sets early test for UN net zero standards
The US special envoy wants to use carbon credits to speed up the clean energy transition – but experts are sceptical the scheme can meet best practice.
World Bank backs carbon credit blockchain registry to attract crypto investors
The World Bank wants to direct the NFT craze towards projects that cut emissions and improve the transparency of carbon offset markets
Chinese companies seek global carbon market for green hydrogen
A project that supplied green hydrogen for buses at the Winter Olympics could be the first of its kind to sell carbon credits through the Clean Development Mechanism
Make polluters pay for climate adaptation, voluntary carbon market body proposes
An adaptation levy on carbon credits could raise up to $2.5bn a year by 2030, providing more predictable support for climate vulnerable countries
Data exclusive: The ‘junk’ carbon offsets revived by the Glasgow Pact
Analysis for Climate Home identifies hundreds of problematic projects that could be used to greenwash national and corporate climate plans
Australian carbon traders defend troubled offset market against whistleblower claims
Policy upheaval and stark criticism of the quality of carbon offsets from a former official have thrown Australia’s ability to deliver on carbon targets into doubt
Carney, Kyte oversee carbon offset rules to address greenwashing concerns
Two initiatives will release standards for the voluntary carbon market this year, while campaigners denounce offsetting as a “scam” that delays real climate action
‘Misleading’ Polish billboards blame EU climate policy for electricity costs
State-owned utilities are using rising energy costs to attack the EU emissions trading system, stoking tensions between Warsaw and Brussels