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Peru’s Ministry of Environment (Minam) is attempting to consolidate the country’s carbon projects under a national jurisdictional REDD+ (J-REDD+) programme, which critics claim uses out-of-touch methodologies that will reduce incomes and compromise forest protection, according to local media.

Leaders need to persuade others of the need for environmental measures rather than capitulate in the face of political headwinds

Last month, a survey of public opinion in Germany, France and Poland found that a majority in each country would support more ambitious policies to tackle the climate emergency. The same study also found unexpectedly widespread support for pan-European action linking green goals to other priorities such as economic security. Who knew, at a time when warnings of a popular “green backlash” are rife?

Unfortunately, Europe’s politicians are now on a very different page. Rattled by farmers’ protests – which radical-right parties have swiftly co-opted as a new front in their culture wars – Brussels and national governments have been busily sounding a disorderly, panicked retreat on environmental targets. Since the turn of the year, the U-turns and capitulations have come thick and fast.

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One of the key architects of the ‘social cost of carbon’ (SCC) price on climate impacts has released new projections judging that it now sits at $225/tonne CO2 – higher than earlier estimates, including those of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

A New York-based carbon removals project developer has completed the second phase of its afforestation project, which it said is the largest Gold Standard-approved initiative of its kind in the US.

Australian limits on acceptable levels of these toxic chemicals in drinking water ‘orders of magnitude’ higher than in US

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High levels of so-called forever chemicals have been found in surface and groundwater all over the world, with Australia one of several hotspots for toxic PFAS, a University of New South Wales study has found.

Researchers examined groundwater samples from around the world and found 69% had per-and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at levels above Canada’s safe drinking water criteria and 32% had levels higher than the US proposed drinking water hazard index.

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Carbon removals should be kept separate from offsets, NGOs said in a letter urging members of the European Parliament to reject the EU's draft Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) in a plenary vote this week.

ICE's CORSIA Phase 1-eligible (2024-26) voluntary carbon futures extended gains to reach a fresh record last week, on very low volume, with the price strength coming off the back of 'panic' buying given the supply uncertain outlook, according to sources.

A private sector group of European and international supporters of carbon removals (CDR) launched a public consultation on proposed industry commitments Monday.

Countries need to more actively engage on climate change issues within the WTO, as an ever-increasing share of barriers and notifications brought before the international trade body are related to climate policies, the organisation's deputy head told Carbon Pulse in an interview. 

The lack of a common approach to biodiversity reporting among emerging standards for corporate disclosures is poised to hamper comparability of companies' impacts on nature, a paper has said, calling for a global framework that integrates and aligns existing methodologies to be established.

The illegal trade in climate-warming refrigerant gases entering Europe is continuing at a significant level despite the worsening climate emergency, as organised criminals become more sophisticated in evading law enforcement, according to a report by an environmental NGO.

A "first evidence-based" tool developed by a global alliance could enable farmers to better assess their impacts on biodiversity, as the need to address nature protection in the agricultural sector is being increasingly emphasised, according to an international group of researchers.

European carbon allowance prices rose on Monday morning, shrugging off a sharp fall at the opening to move to their highest since the end of February, once again tracking power and natural gas prices.

The record decline in CO2 emissions registered in Europe in 2023 was caused in part by “demand destruction” across a range of energy-intensive industries, which could prove “permanent” due to high gas prices and carbon pricing policies, analysts say.

Carbon standard Gold Standard and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have created a resource hub designed to help rice growers access carbon finance, they announced Monday.

South Korea could see the results of this week's parliamentary elections determine the trajectory of the country's carbon pricing schemes and energy policy.

Around 1m people, including 13,000 youths, especially vulnerable because they can do little to protect themselves, co-author says

Nearly half of US prisons draw water from sources likely contaminated with toxic PFAS “forever chemicals”, new research finds.

At least around 1m people incarcerated in the US, including 13,000 juveniles, are estimated to be housed in the prisons, and they are especially vulnerable to the dangerous chemicals because there is little they can do to protect themselves, said Nicholas Shapiro, a study co-author at the University of California in Los Angeles.

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Livestock bosses celebrate outcome at online summit, while critics condemn failure to tackle meat and dairy consumption

Lobbyists for the world’s biggest meat companies have lauded a better than expected outcome at Cop28, which they say left them “excited” and “enthusiastic” for their industry’s prospects.

US livestock bosses reflected on the conference’s implication for their sector on a virtual panel, fresh from “sharing US agriculture’s story” at the climate summit in December.

Campaigners and climate scientists had hoped the summit, which was billed as a “Food Cop” because of its focus on farming, would result in governments agreeing to ambitious action to transform food systems in line with the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

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Indonesia's state owned oil company is planning to use its significant geothermal resources to create green hydrogen to supply industries already using a less environmentally friendly form of the gas.

New Zealand’s Climate Change Commission launched a consultation on Monday to assess the country’s emissions budgets, saying key circumstances had changed that could mean the target should be bolstered.