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UNCTAD Launches Global Carbon Market Network at COP31 to Unify Fragmented Markets

UNCTAD Launches Global Carbon Market Network at COP31 to Unify Fragmented Markets

The UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) agency is set to launch the Global Carbon Market Network at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye. This new initiative aims to address the fragmentation within global carbon markets, which currently suffer from diverse standards, registries, and trading systems. The network will work to enhance cooperation among exchanges and market institutions, focusing on technical aspects such as market integrity, the measurement and verification of emissions reductions, and the use of digital technologies to boost transparency and lower transaction costs. UNCTAD's objective is not to create a new carbon market or standard, but rather to connect existing voluntary and compliance markets. This effort is particularly geared towards unlocking carbon finance for developing countries, where most voluntary carbon credits are generated before being sold to buyers in developed nations. The launch comes as carbon pricing mechanisms, including emissions trading systems and carbon taxes, are expanding, c...
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COP30 Presidency Outlines Pathways to Mobilize Over $1.3 Trillion Annually in Climate Finance for Developing Countries

COP30 Presidency Outlines Pathways to Mobilize Over $1.3 Trillion Annually in Climate Finance for Developing Countries

The COP30 Presidency has released a report titled 'Implementing the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T,' which details concrete financial pathways and policy interventions capable of scaling external climate finance for developing countries to between US$1.27 and US$1.41 trillion annually by 2035. This report builds upon the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T, jointly presented by the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies in November 2025. The 2026 report identifies six key sources for achieving this target: concessional finance, private investments, South-South cooperation, Special Drawing Rights channeling, innovative mechanisms, and carbon markets. Under a business-as-usual scenario, international climate finance would only reach US$458 to US$461 billion per year by 2035, highlighting a significant gap that requires action from governments, financial institutions, and investors. The report also introduces the 5x5 Implementation Framework and the Climate Finance Action Compass to monitor progress and coordinate efforts acr...
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ICVCM Releases Guide for Governments to Build High-Integrity Carbon Markets

ICVCM Releases Guide for Governments to Build High-Integrity Carbon Markets

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) has published 'Module 2: Building High-Integrity Carbon Markets,' a guide aimed at assisting governments and policymakers in integrating high-integrity standards into domestic policy and international carbon trading. This publication is particularly relevant as 81% of updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement indicate an intention to use Article 6 mechanisms, and direct carbon pricing instruments currently cover 29% of global greenhouse gas emissions across 87 jurisdictions. The guide focuses on establishing Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) as a common baseline to bridge voluntary offset markets with national compliance schemes and bilateral Article 6.2 cooperative approaches. According to Annette Nazareth, Chair of the Integrity Council, well-designed carbon market policies that emphasize high integrity are crucial for fostering thriving carbon markets, leading to genuine emissions reductions and sustainable deve...
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Amnesty International Urges World Leaders at COP31 to End Fossil Fuel Reliance and Protect Human Rights

Amnesty International Urges World Leaders at COP31 to End Fossil Fuel Reliance and Protect Human Rights

Amnesty International has called on world leaders attending COP31 in Türkiye to cease their support for the fossil fuel industry and commit to a rapid and equitable phase-out of fossil fuels. The organization emphasizes that scientific consensus, human rights principles, and international law demand this transition. Marta Schaaf, Program Director for Climate, ESJ and Corporate Accountability at Amnesty International, stated that governments can no longer delay action or protect their fossil fuel allies, asserting that the climate crisis is a failure of political courage, not knowledge. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has warned that the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C warming limit, with devastating consequences already being felt globally through droughts, wildfires, storms, floods, melting glaciers, and rising seas. Amnesty International stresses that every fraction of a degree of warming will worsen human rights impacts and that exceeding 1.5°C, even temporarily, is dangerous and could trigger...
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Latin American Governments Advance Carbon Market Policies Ahead of COP31 Amidst REDD+ Litigation

Latin American Governments Advance Carbon Market Policies Ahead of COP31 Amidst REDD+ Litigation

Governments across Latin America have made significant decisions regarding carbon markets and forest policy in preparation for the COP31 climate negotiations. Brazil's Interministerial Committee on Climate Change (CIM) approved general guidelines for its emissions trading system (ETS), including rules for recognizing carbon credits, establishing a central registry, and planning for emissions allocation. The committee also set authorization limits for Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) at 50 million for 2026-30 and 100 million for 2031-35. Separately, Brazil approved a national roadmap to halt deforestation by 2030. Argentina submitted its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), signaling an openness to Article 6 mechanisms and international carbon credit transfers, coinciding with Senate approval of a carbon market bill. Concurrently, legal challenges against REDD+ projects continue to accumulate in the region, with federal prosecutors in Brazil seeking to suspend the Mejurua p...
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New Guidance Aims to Integrate Just Transition into $7 Trillion Sustainable Bond Market

New Guidance Aims to Integrate Just Transition into $7 Trillion Sustainable Bond Market

New Guidance Aims to Integrate Just Transition into $7 Trillion Sustainable Bond Market
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Africa Seeks Equitable Economic Opportunities from Global Transition at COP31

Africa Seeks Equitable Economic Opportunities from Global Transition at COP31

As negotiators gather for COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, African countries are pushing for a 'just transition' that not only addresses decarbonization but also creates new economic opportunities. For many African economies, the transition presents a unique challenge: simultaneously tackling energy poverty, structural unemployment, industrial development, climate vulnerability, and economic diversification. Manav Khanna, a Programme Manager for Just Transitions, emphasizes that Africa's transition must be judged by the industries it develops, the energy access it expands, and the opportunities it creates for communities, not solely by the reduction of carbon-intensive activities. At COP30, parties agreed to develop a Just Transition Mechanism (JTM), and COP31 aims to define what this mechanism should deliver, for whom, and through what forms of international cooperation.
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COP31 Opens Under Super El Niño Threat, Developing Nations Demand Urgent Climate Finance Action

COP31 Opens Under Super El Niño Threat, Developing Nations Demand Urgent Climate Finance Action

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) has commenced in Antalya, Turkey, amidst the severe impacts of a climate change-fueled Super El Niño, which is causing extreme weather events globally. Developing nations, particularly in Africa, are demanding urgent action on climate finance, emphasizing that they are disproportionately affected by climate change despite having low per capita emissions. Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN) on Climate Change, highlighted that African countries face crippling water shortages and other severe climate shocks while struggling with shrinking foreign aid. With global warming projected to reach 2.6°C, far exceeding the 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal, negotiators are focused on translating political commitments into operational reality, aiming for COP31 to be an 'Implementation COP'.
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COP30 Presidency Unveils Report Detailing Pathways to Mobilize Over $1.3 Trillion in Annual Climate Finance for Developing Nations

COP30 Presidency Unveils Report Detailing Pathways to Mobilize Over $1.3 Trillion in Annual Climate Finance for Developing Nations

The COP30 Presidency has released a new report, 'Implementing the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T,' which outlines concrete financial pathways and policy interventions aimed at scaling external climate finance for developing countries to between US$1.27 and US$1.41 trillion annually by 2035. This report builds on the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T, which was jointly presented by the COP29 and COP30 Presidencies in November 2025. The 2026 report identifies six crucial sources for achieving this financial goal: concessional finance, private investments, South-South cooperation, Special Drawing Rights channeling, innovative mechanisms, and carbon markets. The report highlights that under a business-as-usual scenario, international climate finance would only reach US$458 to US$461 billion per year by 2035, underscoring the need for significant action from governments, financial institutions, and investors. To facilitate monitoring and implementation, the report introduces the Climate Finance Action Compass and th...
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COP31 Climate Summit Opens in Turkey, EU Urges Urgent Climate Action Amid Global Challenges

COP31 Climate Summit Opens in Turkey, EU Urges Urgent Climate Action Amid Global Challenges

The annual UN climate conference, UNFCCC COP31, commenced in Antalya, Turkey, on Monday, November 9. World leaders and negotiators are gathering to address the urgent need for action on climate change, particularly focusing on the phase-out of fossil fuels. This summit occurs against a backdrop of record heatwaves, floods, and wildfires globally. The European Union is expected to play a crucial role in driving global momentum. Campaign group Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe has outlined key political tests for governments, emphasizing the need for concrete implementation of existing commitments, including transitioning away from fossil fuels, scaling up renewable energy, ensuring a just transition, and providing necessary finance to developing countries for climate action. Chiara Martinelli, Director at CAN Europe, stressed that COP31 must be a summit of implementation, not just congratulations for past promises. EU regions and cities are also advocating for formal recognition of their role in achieving...
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Integrity Council Releases New Guide for Policymakers on High-Integrity Carbon Markets

Integrity Council Releases New Guide for Policymakers on High-Integrity Carbon Markets

The Integrity Council has launched 'Module 2: Building High-Integrity Carbon Markets – a guide for policymakers,' ahead of the Article 6.2 Ambition Dialogue at COP31. This guide aims to assist governments in leveraging international carbon markets to achieve greater climate ambition while accommodating diverse national circumstances. The Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) are central to this initiative, establishing a global independent threshold for high-integrity carbon credits. These CCPs ensure a consistent standard of integrity regardless of where credits are generated, which program issues them, or how they are utilized. As of November 2026, 13 carbon-crediting programs are CCP-Eligible, 47 methodologies across 17 project types have been CCP-Approved, and approximately 120 million credits from 30 countries have been approved to use the CCP label. A significant development in December 2025 allows governments to apply for CCP assessment of their own crediting programs, enabling locally tailored approaches t...
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UN climate summit kicks off in Turkey after a disastrous year of extreme weather

UN climate summit kicks off in Turkey after a disastrous year of extreme weather

World leaders, delegates and climate activists are in Antalya, Turkey, for a U.N. climate summit