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43rd week CCM 2026. Doers. Article 6 progress, Kenya attracts; Netherlands launches major CCS operation, Sweden backs bio-CCS; bilateral agreements, Japan, Moldova; ISSB, ESMA
Monday, 26 October 2026.
43rd Week Carbon Credit Markets in 2026.
🎸 On the soundtrack of carbon markets.Â
Carbon credits are seeing progress in 2026 under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, including the first issuances, the migration of projects from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and the strengthening of registry and tracking infrastructure. A UNFCCC report highlights the importance of environmental integrity and offers recommendations for COP31. Meanwhile, in Africa, Kenya has launched strategic guidelines to expand its participation in carbon markets, establishing rules for the generation and transfer of credits, the attraction of investment, and alignment with national climate goals.
Other highlights include the launch of operations in the Netherlands for Europe’s largest carbon capture and storage project, which has the capacity to capture up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year and store approximately 12 million tonnes over 15 years. Furthermore, Sweden has allocated $840 million to bio-CCS projects, adopting a "no storage, no payment" rule, with the goal of removing 5.75 million tonnes of CO₂ and strengthening the carbon removal market on the path toward net-zero emissions.
Briefs and opportunities bring the report from Article 6 Implementation Partnership highlighting strong progress in Article 6 implementation, with 91% of NDCs 3.0 planning to use its mechanisms, alongside 113 bilateral agreements, 221 mitigation activities across 68 countries, and 8,948 carbon credit projects. Public consultations are also open on a landfill gas capture and utilization methodology under the Moldova-Japan JCM and on new nature-related disclosure requirements proposed by the ISSB. Meanwhile, ESMA continues to prioritize sustainability reporting as a key regulatory focus across the European Union.
Carbon Credits
UNFCCC report highlights progress on Article 6.4 and presents recommendations for COP31
Published on October 22, 2026, the annual report from the Supervisory Body for the Article 6.4 mechanism of the Paris Agreement, submitted to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA), outlines the progress made in operationalizing this international carbon credit mechanism. Key milestones include the first issuance of carbon credits under Article 6.4 (A6.4ERs), approved in February 2026; the authorization for hundreds of projects to transition from the former Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to the new system; the expansion of eligible methodologies for emission reductions and removals; and advancements in the infrastructure for registering and tracking credits. The report emphasizes a focus on environmental integrity, the prevention of over-crediting, and the strengthening of the global carbon market. In addition to detailing the progress achieved, the document offers recommendations for consideration by the Parties at COP31 in Antalya, while also highlighting challenges related to financing and the need for additional resources from 2028 onwards to ensure the full implementation of the mechanism. You can also view the members of the Supervisory Body to see whether your country and region are well represented.
Kenya Sets Strategic Rules for Carbon Credit Expansion under the Paris Agreement
At an event held in Nairobi on October 5, 2026, Kenya launched the Kenya Guide for Strategic Engagement in Carbon Markets. This initiative, presented by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, aims to strengthen the country's participation in carbon markets and boost investment in carbon credits. The launch, attended by representatives from the government, private sector, and civil society, as well as carbon market experts, unveiled a new strategic framework to guide the country's activities under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. The guide establishes guidelines for the generation and international transfer of carbon credits, creates a national carbon budget to limit the international trading of emission reductions, defines criteria for project authorizations, prioritizes sectors such as renewable energy, low-emission transport, and waste management, and reinforces requirements regarding environmental integrity, transparency, monitoring, and alignment with national climate goals (NDCs). According to the Kenyan government, the strategy seeks to expand access to climate finance, technology transfer, and sustainable development while preserving the country's ability to meet its climate commitments.
Others Highlights
Largest European Carbon Capture Project Begins Operations in the Netherlands
A recent announcement by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, the body responsible for the European Union's energy policies, marks the start of operations at the Yara Sluiskil plant in the Netherlands, described as Europe's largest commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) project. The facility is set to capture and liquefy up to 800,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually from ammonia production, with the carbon transported for permanent storage at the Northern Lights project in Norway, a flagship initiative of European cooperation. According to the European Commission, the venture is expected to store approximately 12 million tonnes of CO₂ over the next 15 years, contributing to industrial decarbonization and emission reductions in carbon-intensive sectors. This represents a strategic and innovative infrastructure project designed to support climate goals and strengthen European industrial competitiveness.
Sweden releases US$ 840 million for carbon capture with a strict rule: “no storage, no payment”
Published on October 16, 2026, by the Swedish Energy Agency, the government body responsible for Sweden’s energy and climate policies, in a Scandinavian country with about 10.7 million inhabitants, the announcement reveals the allocation of SEK 9.3 billion (approximately US$ 840 million) to waste-to-energy operators Renova, SYSAV, and Öresundskraft. The funds are earmarked for bio-CCS (bio-energy carbon capture and storage) projects, which are expected to remove and permanently store 5.75 million tonnes of biogenic CO₂. This initiative is part of Sweden’s strategy to reach net-zero emissions by 2045 and subsequently achieve negative emissions by capturing carbon derived from biomass and storing it permanently in geological formations. The program utilizes a reverse auction model to select projects that offer the greatest climate benefit at the lowest cost per tonne removed. It adheres to a “no storage, no payment” principle, meaning funds will only be disbursed once the CO₂ has been effectively stored, a measure that strengthens the credibility of the carbon removal, carbon credit, and large-scale carbon capture market.
Briefs & Opportunities
A6IP’s Article 6 Implementation Status Report 2026 reveals that 91% of NDCs 3.0 intend to utilize Article 6, while 113 bilateral agreements already support 221 mitigation activities across 68 countries, alongside 48.2 million tCO₂e in authorized credits and 8,948 active carbon credit projects.
Public consultation on the methodology Electricity generation and avoidance of methane emissions through capture and utilization of landfill gas (LFG) under the Moldova-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM). To be held between October 19 and November 2, 2026.
The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is inviting input on a proposal for nature-related disclosure requirements, designed to help companies provide consistent and comparable information to investors regarding nature-related risks and opportunities. The consultation also seeks feedback on the format of the proposal, currently presented as a "Practice Statement”, which could potentially evolve into a mandatory standard. The deadline is February 19, 2027.
The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has defined its supervisory priorities (ECEP) for 2026, keeping sustainability reporting among its key regulatory focuses. The newly published report highlights the topics that will be at the heart of the oversight of corporate statements within the European Union for this reporting cycle.
Events
October
🇯🇵 28, Paris Agreement Article 6 Implementation Status Report 2026. By the A6IP Center, including partners from UNEP-CCC, the World Bank, IETA, and IATA.
November
🇹🇷 9 - 20, COP31. Antalya, Türkiye.
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