2nd Week CCM 2026. BNDES wants study on carbon credits, CAD Trust Open API, COP31 advances in Turkey, China’s climate standards, Europe debates CBAM, Venezuela exposes environmental crisis, US out
- Art Dam
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Monday, 12 January 2026.
2nd week Carbon Credit Markets 2026. BNDES commissions study on carbon credit certification in Brazil, CAD Trust's open API, COP31 moves forward in Turkey, China launches climate accounting standards, Europe debates CBAM for fertilizers, Venezuela exposes the environmental crisis of its oil industry, US abandons several global and climate governance bodies.
🏆The Carbon Credit Markets 2025 Yearbook is ready and expected to become the most comprehensive reference in Portuguese, bringing together analyses, news, and technical content on carbon markets, climate adaptation, energy transition, and related areas. More news will be available on our website in a few days.
Register now — details coming soon.
Carbon Credits
BNDES initiates selection process to commission study on carbon credit certification in Brazil.
BNDES has opened Public Selection FEP Fomento No. 01/2026 to support a technical study on "Carbon Credit Certification in Brazil”, in partnership with the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Finance, with a budget of up to R$ 10 million and a planned execution period of six months. The study will diagnose the supply of certification services and verification bodies, analyze methodological gaps, governance models, and national standards, and evaluate ways to reduce costs and expand access for small producers, traditional communities, and smaller-scale projects, contributing to a more robust Brazilian carbon market aligned with international best practices. More details here.
CAD Trust releases Data Model 2.0 with public API documentation.
The Climate Action Data Trust — a global digital infrastructure created to integrate and standardize carbon market data across different registries — has released public documentation for Data Model 2.0 and its open API, allowing governments, registries, and developers to test and adopt the new standard. The update strengthens the transparency, interoperability, and consistency of carbon credit information, supporting the building of a more reliable global system for tracking and verifying climate action. Read more here.
Other Highlights
Türkiye begins preparations to host COP31 and welcome leaders from 196 countries.
No sooner had he been appointed than the president of COP31 in Turkey already visited the venue where the event will be held. According to the Yeni Ankara portal, Turkey officially began preparations for COP31, with Minister Murat Kurum conducting inspections last January 10 at EXPO Antalya, the venue that will host representatives from 196 countries and more than 80,000 participants. The visit marked the beginning of a major mobilization to transform the space into a diplomatic center of international standard, reinforcing Antalya's ambition to become the new hub of global climate diplomacy, where crucial decisions on global warming and sustainability will be made. Recall here the UNFCCC document that formalized responsibilities between Türkiye and Australia. And here's a video posted on LinkedIn about the COP31 facilities
In line with IFRS S2, China publishes its climate accounting standard.
The Corporate Sustainability Disclosure Standard No. 1: Climate (2025) 《企业可持续披露准则第1号——气候（试行）》 is a Chinese accounting standard focused on climate disclosure, published in a pilot version. It establishes requirements for companies to report climate-related risks, opportunities, impacts, metrics, and targets, aligning with international standards such as ISSB/IFRS S2. Although comprehensive in structure—encompassing governance, strategy, risk management, and indicators—its application is initially voluntary until the government defines the mandatory scope. It is, therefore, a regulatory framework in an experimental phase, intended to guide the future consolidation of the national sustainability reporting system. The original Chinese text is available here.
Together with Japan and South Korea – at an annual meeting called the Three Countries Accounting Standards Setters’ – China has been discussing accounting standards, IFRS, and relevant technical topics, including cutting-edge issues such as Environmental Credit Programs. The group functions as a regional forum for cooperation to align practices, exchange experiences, and influence the work of the IASB. Here is their latest communiqué.
Italy and France seek exemption for fertilizers from the CBAM tax.
This was the headline of a Euronews article, published a few days after the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) came into effect. According to the text, the European Union is heavily dependent on fertilizers imported from countries such as Russia, Belarus, Algeria, China and Egypt, and the new tax could increase costs for European farmers by up to 25%, further pressuring the sector's competitiveness.
At the same time, the European Commission itself ended up fueling market uncertainty by suggesting that Article 27a of the CBAM could be used to suspend the application of the mechanism — even retroactively from January 1, 2026. As a result, importers and suppliers are facing difficulties in setting prices, especially in the case of urea. It remains to be seen how this scenario evolves, especially considering that all this is happening after three years of preparation during the transition phase (2023–2025).
Some climate impacts of the oil industry in Venezuela.
Satellite images analyzed in the report “Satellite Images Reveal Venezuela’s Massive Methane Problem” show that Venezuela has become one of the world’s largest methane emitters, with millions of tons leaking from its deteriorating oil infrastructure—a portrait of the structural crisis that compromises both the climate and future production capacity. Data from the Climate Trace platform (2024) reinforce this trend by identifying high and persistent emissions associated with the oil and gas sector in the country. This environmental collapse is also evident in Lake Maracaibo, where, according to a report in Veja magazine (“Lake Maracaibo, the largest in South America, rots under Chavismo and the rubble of the oil era”, article in Portuguese), the combination of spills, industrial waste, and algal blooms has transformed the largest lake in South America into a symbol of environmental degradation caused by decades of mismanagement and neglect of energy infrastructure.
The United States withdraws from approximately 66 international organizations, conventions, and treaties.
A recent order mandated that the United States begin withdrawing from international organizations, conventions, and treaties, including bodies linked to global climate governance. The document specifically highlights the withdrawal from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), justifying that these institutions would impose costs, obligations, and political limitations incompatible with the country's strategic and economic priorities. Read the presidential memorandum here.
Opportunities
Gold Standard methodologies for clean cooking open for public consultation.
The Gold Standard methodologies aligned with the Paris Agreement are in public consultation and seek to update the clean kitchen credits - (1) Clean and Efficient Cookstoves, (2) Cooking and Heating, (3) Cooking Energy, (4) Energy Cooking Devices, (5) Animal manure management and biogas use for thermal energy generation - to ensure climate integrity, inviting stakeholders to submit contributions until February 5, 2026.
Climate Law Internship Opportunity
To work at Ludovino Lopes Advogados. Details here, in a post on LinkedIn.
Events
🇦🇪 January 15, IETA Carbon Market Dialogue MENA (Middle East & North Africa), Abu Dhabi. Event ”under Chatham House Rule”.
📢 January 20, Evento Gold Standard: What to expect from SBTi's Corporate Net-Zero Standard Version 2.0?
🇧🇴 March 5, Bolivia Carbon Forum, Santa Cruz, Bolivia
🇵🇾 March 25 & 26, Paraguay Carbon Forum, Asunción, Paraguay
📅 June 3 & 4, Argentina Carbon Forum 2026
Carbon Credit Markets is an educational channel and leading media outlet in the carbon markets, member of the coalition COP Experience, with a strong digital presence and a global audience in over 100 countries. It is the number 1 website in Brazil and the 17th most influential in the world, according to FeedSpot.
