Carbon Market News

At the Asia Climate Summit 2026, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Christopher Hui, outlined the city’s climate and green finance priorities. Hong Kong aims to halve carbon emissions by 2035 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Green and sustainable debt issued in Hong Kong exceeded US$76 billion last year, while locally arranged green and sustainable bonds reached about US$38 billion. HKEX’s Core Climate had over 130 registered participants and credits from more than 60 projects as of March. HKEX is exploring cooperation with carbon exchanges in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Macao, while Green Electricity Certificates are identified as a promising product in the pipeline. Hong Kong also plans for large publicly accountable entities to fully adopt ISSB standards by 2028. The HKQAA will make its ESG Disclosure platform available to the wider banking sector during the quarter, further supporting Hong Kong’s sustainability disclosure ecosystem.
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#HongKong #GreenFinance #CoreClimate #GreenBonds #ISSB #SustainabilityDisclosure #GreenElectricityCertificates

Singapore and Indonesia signed an MOU on July 6 to deepen bilateral carbon credit cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The two governments will identify high-integrity projects, exchange carbon market information and technical expertise, and work towards an Article 6 Implementation Agreement. The MOU is an initial cooperation framework, not an operational carbon trading arrangement, as key rules on project eligibility, authorisation, corresponding adjustments and credit transfers have yet to be agreed. Separately, the Singapore Business Federation and Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry will expand Singapore’s AI-powered Trade AI Advisor platform to cover Indonesia’s free trade agreement network.
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#Singapore #Indonesia #Article6 #CarbonCredits #NDC #CorrespondingAdjustments

European industrial companies are divided over the planned reform of the EU Emissions Trading System. Early movers including SSAB, Heidelberg Materials and Rockwool argue that a predictable and sufficiently strong carbon price is essential to justify investments in hydrogen-based steelmaking, electrification and carbon capture. They warn that additional free allowances could reduce the cost disadvantage faced by high-emitting competitors and weaken returns on low-carbon investments. BASF, ArcelorMittal and thyssenkrupp, however, say escalating ETS costs are becoming unaffordable because deeper decarbonisation technologies remain expensive and European producers face high energy costs and global competition. The debate highlights a central dilemma for EU policymakers: whether industrial competitiveness should be addressed by easing carbon-cost pressures or by maintaining a strong and predictable carbon-price signal while providing separate support for energy, infrastructure and low-carbon investment.
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#EUA #CarbonPricing #FreeAllowances #CarbonLeakage #CBAM

The UNFCCC talks in Bonn concluded with mixed results as technical negotiations on emissions mitigation and adaptation finance stalled, deferring critical decisions to COP31. Driven by a Mideast Gulf energy crisis and the closure of the Hormuz Strait, deep divisions persisted regarding global reliance on crude oil, natural gas, and oil products. Major fossil fuel exporters strongly resisted making the transition an official agenda topic, though Brazil is advancing a non-binding phase-out roadmap. While parallel progress was achieved on the UN’s “just transition” mechanism and non-state actor initiatives, long-term hurdles intensified due to disputes over the EU’s carbon border taxes and a concerning pushback against climate science.
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#UNFCCC #BonnClimateTalks #EmissionsMitigation #EnergyCrisis #EnergyTransition #CBAM #GlobalClimatePolicy

The World Bank is urging Thailand to adopt Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) to integrate the economic value of assets like forests and watersheds into national accounts. This framework makes the “invisible” contributions of nature—such as flood control and tourism support—visible to policymakers. Rather than replacing GDP, NCA ensures current economic growth does not deplete resources needed for future prosperity. This approach helps Thailand identify green growth opportunities in sustainable agriculture, eco-tourism, and biotechnology while mitigating long-term fiscal risks.
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#WorldBank #Thailand #NaturalCapitalAccounting #EcoTourism #SustainableAgriculture #Biotechnology