Cop: SE Asian nations to form common carbon framework

Spanish Market: Emissions
18/11/24

Representatives from Asian carbon market associations today signed an agreement to collaborate on a Common Carbon Framework (ACCF) between Asean countries, at the UN Cop 29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Representatives from the Malaysia Carbon Market Association, Asean Alliance on Carbon Market, Singapore Sustainable Finance Association, Thailand Carbon Market Club and Indonesia Carbon Trade Association signed a two-year agreement aimed at unlocking the potential of carbon project opportunities in Asean and promoting regional collaboration to reduce the costs of implementing carbon initiatives. Asean countries include Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The framework is also aimed at fostering interoperability among the Asean carbon markets to increase market liquidity. This comprehensive carbon framework will serve as a catalyst for discourse, said Malaysia's minister of natural resources and environmental sustainability Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. It is an important step in achieving carbon market growth across Asean, to achieve a unified approach in establish an integrated carbon market and accelerate low-carbon investments, he added.

Malaysian exchange Bursa Malaysia introduced the concept of the ACCF last month at the Asean Carbon Forum, stating that the framework aspires to unlock projects unique to the southeast Asian region and create a stronger demand signal by creating interoperable carbon markets in the region to create a bigger market of supply and demand.

A number of southeast Asian countries, in particular Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand have been working on developing carbon markets. One aspect to explore under this framework is establishing areas mutual recognition on carbon methodologies, said Renard Siew, president of the Malaysia Carbon Market Association. If the framework proves to be successful, it will also catalyse the development of a pool of validators and verification bodies, he added. Leveraging on the Asean carbon market associations will also help in capacity building across the region.

The framework needs to be an effective market signalling vehicle to show the region is applying the highest integrity when developing carbon projects, said Natalia Rialucky Marsudi, deputy chair for intra-Asean Affairs at the Asean Alliance on Carbon Market. It will also advocate for a methodology that is "Asean-specific," and address the challenge of how to develop more trust in southeast Asian methodologies, she added.

By Prethika Nair

Related news posts

Argus illuminates the markets by putting a lens on the areas that matter most to you. The market news and commentary we publish reveals vital insights that enable you to make stronger, well-informed decisions. Explore a selection of news stories related to this one.

20/12/24

Brazil Bndes invests more in Sao Paulo EV fleet

Sao Paulo, 20 December (Argus) — Brazil's Bndes development bank approved R94.8mn ($15.6mn) in financing for transport company MobiBrasil to buy 87 electric buses in Sao Paulo city. The environment ministry's climate fund — created to finance climate change mitigation projects and Bndes — will be responsible for R45mn. A federal fund to provide financial security to the unemployed, dubbed FGTS, will be responsible for the remaining R49.8mn. This is Bndes' first operation using FGTS resources. Earlier this month, Bndes said it will invest R2.5bn to buy 1,300 EV-buses in Sao Paulo city . On 9 December, the city's council postponed the bus fleet transition from diesel-powered to EVs to 2054 from the previous 2038 deadline. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Australia’s Cleanaway, LMS to produce landfill gas

20/12/24

Australia’s Cleanaway, LMS to produce landfill gas

Sydney, 20 December (Argus) — Australian waste management operator Cleanaway and bioenergy firm LMS Energy will partner on a 22MW landfill gas-fired power station at Cleanaway's Lucas Heights facility near the city of Sydney. Cleanaway, Australia's largest publicly listed waste management firm, will receive exclusive rights to landfill gas produced at Lucas Heights for 20 years, the company said on 20 December. LMS will invest A$46mn ($29mn) in new bioelectricity assets, including a 22MW generator. Tightening gas markets owing to underinvestment in new supply has led to speculation that more waste-to-energy plants could be brought on line in coming years, especially in the southern regions. Landfill gas projects receive Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by avoiding methane releases, with the total ACCU quantity calculated after a default baseline of 30pc is deducted for projects beginning after 2015. A total of 42.6mn ACCUs were issued to landfill gas projects since the start of the ACCU scheme in 2011, 27pc of the total 155.7mn and the second-largest volume after human-induced regeneration (HIR) methods at 46.68mn. Canberra is reviewing ACCU issuance for these projects, and wants most projects to directly measure methane levels in captured landfill gas to avoid overestimation. Landfill gas operations which generate electricity from the captured gases can also receive large-scale generation certificates (LGCs). LMS has 70 projects currently registered at the Clean Energy Regulator (CER) and has received 24.57mn ACCUs since the start of the scheme. This is the largest volume for any single project proponent, just ahead of Australian environmental market investor GreenCollar's subsidiary Terra Carbon with 23.57mn units. Cleanaway received almost 1mn ACCUs from two projects and has four other projects that have yet to earn ACCUs. By Tom Major and Juan Weik Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Trump backs new deal to avoid shutdown: Update

19/12/24

Trump backs new deal to avoid shutdown: Update

Adds updates throughout Washington, 19 December (Argus) — US president-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for a rewritten spending bill that would avoid a government shutdown but leave out a provision authorizing year-round 15pc ethanol gasoline (E15) sales. The bill — which Republicans rewrote today after Trump attacked an earlier bipartisan agreement — would avoid a government shutdown starting Saturday, deliver agricultural aid and provide disaster relief. Trump said the bill was a "very good deal" that would also include a two-year suspension of the "very unnecessary" ceiling on federal debt, until 30 January 2027. "All Republicans, and even the Democrats, should do what is best for our Country, and vote 'YES' for this Bill, TONIGHT!" Trump wrote in a social media post. Passing the bill would require support from Democrats, who are still reeling after Trump and his allies — including Tesla chief executive Elon Musk — upended a spending deal they had spent weeks negotiating with US House speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana). Democrats have not yet said if they would vote against the new agreement. "We are prepared to move forward with the bipartisan agreement that we thought was negotiated in good faith with House Republicans," House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said earlier today. That earlier deal would have kept the government funded through 14 March, in addition to providing a one-year extension to the farm bill, $100bn in disaster relief and $10bn in aid for farmers. The bill would also provide a waiver that would avoid a looming ban on summertime sales of E15 across much of the US. Ethanol industry officials said they would urge lawmakers to vote against any package without the E15 provision. "Pulling E15 out of the bill makes absolutely no sense and is an insult to America's farmers and renewable fuel producers," Renewable Fuels Association chief executive Geoff Cooper said. If no agreement is reached by Friday at 11:59pm ET, federal agencies would have to furlough millions of workers and curtail services, although some agencies are able to continue operations in the event of a short-term funding lapse. Air travel is unlikely to face immediate interruptions because key federal workers are considered "essential," but some work on permits, agricultural and import data, and regulations could be curtailed. The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has funding to get through a "short-term" shutdown but could be affected by a longer shutdown, chairman Willie Phillips said. The US Department of Energy expects "no disruptions" if funding lapses for 1-5 days, according to its shutdown plan. The US Environmental Protection Agency would furlough about 90pc of its nearly 17,000 staff in the event of a shutdown, according to a plan it updated earlier this year. By Chris Knight Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Power supply crisis to lift Ecuador’s GHG emissions

19/12/24

Power supply crisis to lift Ecuador’s GHG emissions

Quito, 19 December (Argus) — Ecuador's greenhouse gas emissions have likely risen in 2024 as the country grappled with an ongoing power supply crisis because of severe droughts, interim energy minister Ines Manzano told Argus . Although the government has yet to calculate the exact percentage increase in GHG emissions, Manzano confirmed the increase after six months of droughts that led to a significant decline in hydropower output and extensive daily power outages of 3-14 hours from 23 September-20 December. Thermoelectric plants consumed an average of 26,560 b/d of diesel, fuel oil, natural gas and crude residue from January-October 2024, a 35pc year-on-year increase, Petroecuador data show. This trend is expected to continue through the end of the year as Ecuador will have installed and rented an additional 400 MW of thermoelectric capacity, including land-based plants and power barges by December. This expansion represents a 5pc increase in the country's total installed power capacity. In 2023, thermoelectric power plants emitted 3.7mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), marking a year-on-year increase of 48pc, data from the energy ministry show. Drought-related challenges also led to 35 days of blackouts from October-December 2023, increasing reliance on thermoelectric power. That year, emissions from thermoelectric plants accounted for 9pc of the 43mn t of CO2e emitted by the energy sector, up from 6pc in 2022. The outlook for 2025 suggests little relief from the current trend. By April 2025 the government plans to bring online an additional 1.3GW of thermoelectric capacity, compared with April 2024, while adding only one new hydroelectric plant — the 204MW Toachi-Pilaton. By Alberto Araujo Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Viewpoint: Foundations laid for increased VCM liquidity

19/12/24

Viewpoint: Foundations laid for increased VCM liquidity

London, 19 December (Argus) — The next 12 months will establish whether the work done by proponents of the voluntary carbon market in 2024 will yield some much-needed buyer confidence and liquidity. Concerns over the integrity of voluntary carbon credits, particularly the authenticity of their climate impact and their alleged excess issuance, have roiled the market over the past year. In the nature-based sector particularly, buying has been hesitant and intermittent, with prices losing substantial ground since the start of 2023. Trade levels for Indonesia's Katingan reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD+) project, which hosts some of the most actively-traded credits of any nature-based activity, fell from $5.15/t CO2e in January to $3.80/t CO2e in December for credits of 2019 vintage. Deals agreed for credits generated in 2021 by Pakistan's Delta Blue Carbon mangrove restoration project, which comprises emissions removal and represents the upper end of the nature-based price range, have fallen from $30/t CO2e to $26.75/t CO2e. Proponents of the VCM have hailed the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market's (ICVCM) Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) as a potential solution, suggesting that the rigorous requirements carbon methodologies must meet to earn the certification should assure buyers of the legitimacy of the credits they issue, while allowing sellers to charge a premium and leverage more upstream investment. But since the first raft of methodologies were approved for the CCPs in June, trade for credits bearing the label has been severely limited, with only a handful of deals reported. Heading into 2025, the ICVCM must walk a tightrope as it goes about approving more methodologies that could yield the intended rise in liquidity. The multi-stakeholder initiative decided against making a swathe of renewable energy methodologies operated by carbon registry Gold Standard eligible for the CCPs at the start of August, which cut off about a third of the market from accessing the label. But the group has also come under fire for approving methodologies too hastily. One of the members of its expert panel stepped down in December after the ICVCM approved three REDD+ methodologies, arguing that by doing so it had set a precedent to flood the market with "millions" of credits that are over-issued and produced by projects that do not require carbon finance to run. Prospects for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (Corsia) are similar. The first phase of the scheme began this year and is due to run until 2026. Trade has thus far been minimal, but with the late-October approval of the two largest registries in the world, Verra and Gold Standard, the foundations have been laid for a substantial increase in 2025. Developers with projects certified by Verra and Gold Standard, along with the American Carbon Registry, Architecture for REDD+ Transactions, the Climate Action Reserve and the Global Carbon Council, can now sell Corsia-eligible credits directly to airlines seeking to comply with the first phase of the scheme, allowing them to potentially tap into a significant new channel of demand. In order to be eligible for Corsia, carbon credits must bear a letter of authorisation (LOA). These must be issued by the competent national authority to certify that the credit can be traded as an international transfer of mitigation outcome and used by other countries towards their own nationally determined contribution. The establishment of the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism (PACM) under Article 6.4 at the UN Cop 29 conference in November is likely to increase the proliferation of LOAs and the number of Corsia credits available on the market in 2025. It is unclear how much impact the long-awaited deal on Article 6 will have in and of itself before the end of 2025 though, beyond unlocking demand from countries seeking to make progress on their nationally determined contributions. By Felix Todd Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Business intelligence reports

Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.

Learn more