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Central American countries’ attempts to sensitise the private sector to carbon pricing while building up public sector capacity via voluntary programmes have led to a unique, subregional model of carbon markets within Latin America, a Panamanian expert told Carbon Pulse.

People want easy access to green spaces and shops and they don’t want to travel more than 20 minutes to get there – but women feel a lot less comfortable after dark. Iain White, Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Silvia Serrao-Neumann, Associate Professor of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Xinyu Fu, Senior Lecturer of Environmental Planning, University of Waikato Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Earth is crossing the 1.5°C limit outlined in the Paris Agreement, beyond which scientists predict catastrophic harm to systems supporting life on our planet. Andrew King, Associate Professor in Climate Science, ARC Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather, The University of Melbourne Liam Cassidy, PhD Candidate, The University of Melbourne Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Government cranks handle again for group owning Yorkshire power plant because cheaper generating capacity not in place

• UK halves subsidies for Drax and says it must use 100% sustainable wood

Surprise, surprise, a mighty £7bn of subsidies since 2012 have not been enough to get Drax to stand on its own feet. More bungs are required to keep the wood fires burning at the enormous power plant in North Yorkshire – this time an estimated £1.8bn from 2027-31.

The energy minister Michael Shanks at least sounded embarrassed. He railed against the “unacceptably large profits” Drax has made, said past subsidy arrangements “did not deliver a good enough deal for bill payers” and vowed that that the definition of a “sustainable” wood pellet would be tightened. But the bottom line is that the government has agreed to crank the subsidy handle once again, just at a slower rate.

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Recent news that the EU and UK plan to discuss the potential for linking their emissions trading schemes at a summit this spring sparked a flurry of buying that has driven benchmark UK Allowances to multi-month highs – but there's a long way to go before any tangible agreement on a link-up can be made, analysts warn.

Pesticide-backed proposed law that opponents call ‘Cancer Gag Act’ pits Iowa farm groups against each other

Pesticide company efforts to push through laws that could block litigation against them is igniting battles in several US farm states and pitting some farm groups against each other.

Laws have been introduced in at least eight states so far and drafts are circulating in more than 20 states, backed by a deluge of advertising supporting the measures.

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The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) intends to put the first draft of its new Corporate Net-Zero Standard up for two public consultations, establish expert groups to consult on key issues, and run pilot tests before it finalises the controversial revision by the end of this year, it said on Monday.

The findings shed light on a deeply mysterious part of Earth that is key to life on our planet.

Surging electricity demand from new data centres could undermine Europe’s emissions reduction efforts, with power consumption projected to rise by up to 160% by 2030, according to a new report released Monday.

Birds observed going to lengths to flavour food, with particular penchant for blueberry-flavoured soy yoghurt dip

Whether you savour Ottolenghi’s recipes or prefer a feast from Nigella’s cookery books, humans enjoy mixing flavours and textures when preparing food. Now research suggests some cockatoos do too.

Researchers have previously discovered that some of the birds dunk dry rusks in water before eating them, just as some people enjoy dunking a biscuit in tea, apparently reflecting a penchant for a soggy texture.

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Compliance markets will be key to bolstering carbon pricing in the region, Carbon Pulse heard last week, but Colombia’s way forward on long-delayed ETS plans is unclear following the sudden resignation of Environment Minister Susana Muhamad.

Mixed reaction from campaigners as ministers impose reduced subsidies and stringent conditions on Yorkshire wood-burning plant

• UK halves subsidies for Drax and says it must use 100% sustainable wood

Burning wood is a terrible way of producing electricity. Chopping down trees destroys habitats for wildlife, and growing new trees cannot replace the biodiversity of old-growth forests. There is also a decades-long time lag between the carbon dioxide released from the burning, which fuels the climate crisis now, and the uptake of equivalent carbon from the air by replacement trees.

So when the government announced on Monday that it would continue billpayer subsidies for biomass burning at the Drax power station, beyond 2027 when the current payments end, the news appeared a blow to green campaigners.

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A British climate impact investment manager has launched a €50 million regenerative agriculture platform in Spain, aimed at converting existing farming practices from intensive cereal production to high-value pistachio and cherry tree crops, alongside livestock

The influential centre-right European People's Party (EPP) is pushing the European Commission to introduce short-term measures to help automakers meet their emissions targets for cars. 

Secondhand market thrived as sales of new EVs also reached highest levels to date, SMMT trade body says

• Business live – latest updates

A record number of used electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in the UK last year, as prices eased and the choice of cars widened, according to industry data.

Total sales of used cars rose by 5.5% in 2024, as 7.6m vehicles changed hands, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Sales rose in every month last year, as they did in 2023.

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Standardised CORSIA Phase 1 contracts slipped last week amid ongoing uncertainty around US participation in the scheme, even as liquidity on futures jumped, while credit retirements remained below the 2024 weekly average despite analysts forecasting a record year for the market on the demand side.

A Paris-headquartered carbon standard last week opened consultations seeking stakeholder feedback on phasing out its unit system and refining a forest methodology.

The UK has halved subsidies for Drax’s biomass power station from 2027, and is putting under review future government support for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage - the technology Drax is counting on to decarbonise its electricity generation.

Singapore and Marshall Islands on Monday announced their 2035 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement in time for original deadline - now pushed back to September as only a handful of nations made the early February goal.

The EU is at risk of missing its 2030 climate goal of cutting net emissions 55% below 1990 levels, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) warned in a report that was quietly posted online just over a week ago.