German China UER probe involves 6mn t CO2e

Spanish Market: Biofuels, Emissions
16/09/24

The German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) said today its investigation into possible fraud in the upstream emission reduction (UER) market involves certificates for around 6mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), of which two thirds could be recovered if needed.

The UBA has been investigating UER projects in China since September 2023 on suspicion that many either do not exist or cannot generate the appropriate amount of certificates to be counted towards the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction quota. This has almost completely halted trade in UER credits.

The UBA has identified 45 projects with certificate capacity of around 6mn t CO2e. Of these, 1.3mn t CO2e have not been issued, and 2.6mn t CO2e have been issued but can theoretically be recovered. The remaining 2.1mn t CO2e are associated with completed projects that cannot be recovered or deleted.

The latter would be "cases for the public prosecutor's office," the UBA said.

Any reclaim procedure is dependent on irregularities being proven, and will mean the UER certificates are deleted, the UBA said. An issuer must purchase new certificates to compensate for its missing GHG savings or pay a penalty of €600/t CO2e.

But retrieving certificates that have been traded involves proving that the buyer, typically a fuel supplier, has intentionally acquired fraudulent certificates, the Federal Environment Ministry (BMUV) told Argus.

The UBA is examining 35 new project entries for 2024. It is unclear how many certificates will be available on the market in 2024 and 2025. The application for new projects ended on 1 July, and the crediting period for UER evidence ends on 1 September 2025, according to the UER regulation.

by Nik Pais dos Santos

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.

21/05/25

Nations eye new climate ties including China without US

London, 21 May (Argus) — The world's politicians are still working out how to deal with US president Donald Trump, but climate leaders will forge new, diversified relationships, with China likely to play a growing part, delegates heard today at the Financial Times Climate and Impact Summit Europe . Trump's move to rapidly roll back US climate and environment-related regulation was a shock, but in Latin America, "underneath, so far, things have not really yet shifted", Colombia's former environment minister Susana Muhamad said today. Latin American countries are likely to further diversify relationships, she added, noting co-operation agreements signed in Beijing between Colombia and China. Colombia joined China's belt and road initiative earlier this month. "The world is still grasping what Trump is doing", and countries are still forming new relationships, EU member of parliament and vice-chair of the parliament's environment committee Bas Eickhout said today. And the UN Cop 30 climate summit — set for November in Belem, Brazil — is happening early in the day in terms of those new relationships being formed in the climate space, he added. China will be in "the driver's seat in some way… or at least a co-pilot", founding director at Chinese NGO the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs Ma Jun said. The world's biggest economies "need to play a role in the governance", he added. China and Europe have experienced many of the same pressures on climate policy, delegates heard. Although the "backlash" against some "green" policies started around two years ago, those pushing against such policy have been emboldened by Trump's election, Eickhout said. "Energy security has been elevated to the top priority in China", Ma said — although China has already reached some of its 2030 renewable energy targets. In Europe, "I think the entire decarbonisation agenda will continue", but it will be framed as a competitiveness and security agenda, Eickhout said. He also noted some softening from industry previously pushing back on "green" policy, given that Europe's relative predictability has been thrown sharply into focus by drastic changes set out by the US government. Muhamad pointed to the global need for a just energy transition. "If the transition does not bring higher equality, the transition will not happen", she said. Given that finance is crucial, "the influence of the US in the multilateral banks' decisions… will be critical", she added. By Georgia Gratton and Victoria Hatherick Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EPA to set biofuel mandate 'very soon': Zeldin

21/05/25

EPA to set biofuel mandate 'very soon': Zeldin

New York, 21 May (Argus) — Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin stressed Wednesday that the US is working quickly to propose and finalize new biofuel blend mandates. EPA last week sent proposed Renewable Fuel Standard volumes for 2026 — and likely at least one future year — to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review, the final step before a draft rule can be released. Zeldin referenced that process at a Senate hearing Wednesday and said "we expect the proposed rule to be finalized and released very soon." Asked by US senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska) whether the agency was planning on releasing something by summer or fall, Zeldin said he was eyeing a "much, much faster" timeline. "We'll finalize this as quickly as we possibly can," he said. Zeldin has stressed at recent House and Senate hearings that the agency is expediting the months-delayed rulemaking. Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, EPA requires oil refiners and importers to blend annual amounts of different types of biofuels into the conventional fuel supply. EPA decisions on volume mandates — and on requests for exemptions from small refiners — are highly influential for crop feedstock demand, biofuel production margins and retail fuel prices. Zeldin said last week at a House subcommittee hearing that EPA was also weighing what to do with a backlog of requests from small refiners for exemptions from program requirements. "None of these were getting approved at all in the last administration," Zeldin said. "We want to get caught up as quickly as we can." EPA has not commented more recently on its specific timeline and plans, but the agency said earlier this year that it wanted to get the frequently delayed biofuel program back on its statutory timeline. The Clean Air act requires new volumes to be finalized 14 months in advance of a compliance year, which in this case would require proposed volumes for 2027 to be released soon for public comment and then finalized before November this year. A coalition of industry groups, including the American Petroleum Institute and Clean Fuels Alliance America, have pushed the agency to hike the biomass-based diesel mandate from 3.35bn USG this year to a record-high 5.25bn USG next year. Other groups, including fuel marketers, have urged more caution given a sharp drop in biofuel production to start 2025 and uncertainty about the future of a federal clean fuel tax credit being renegotiated in Congress. As part of the White House process, outside groups can seek meetings with the Trump administration to present their views on a pending regulation. Meetings are scheduled through 4 June on the proposed volumes — and through 9 June on a related rule to cut last year's cellulosic biofuel quota — though the US has expedited the process before. Last year, President Joe Biden's administration cancelled previously scheduled meetings on the initial proposal to cut cellulosic targets as a way to more speedily exit the review process. By Cole Martin Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil to walk tightrope in Cop 30 fossil fuel talks

20/05/25

Brazil to walk tightrope in Cop 30 fossil fuel talks

Rio de Janeiro, 20 May (Argus) — Brazil is arguing that its developing country status allows it to consolidate its position as a major crude producer and is likely to lean on developed countries during much-awaited discussions on moving away from fossil fuels at the UN Cop 30 climate conference in November. Attempts to reach an ambitious outcome on mitigation — cutting greenhouse gas emissions — and actions to move away from fossil fuels were quashed at Cop 29 in Baku last year, and all eyes are on Brazil to bridge divides on this issue . Cop 30 president-designate Andre Correa do Lago has failed to address fossil fuels in his two letters outlining priorities for the summit, but members of the Cop 30 team have indicated the issue will be on the agenda. With geopolitical tensions and energy security questions redirecting government priorities away from the energy transition, the outlook is more challenging than when Cop parties agreed the global stocktake (GST) conclusion on fossil fuels and energy in 2023 . But Brazil is well-placed to take the lead. It is a respected player in climate discussions and has one of the cleanest energy mix — 49pc of its energy and 89pc of its electricity comes from renewables. Its own mitigation efforts prioritize slashing deforestation, which accounts for the lion's share of Brazil's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Non-profit World Resources Institute Brazil describes the emissions reduction target in Brazil's nationally determined contribution (NDC) — climate plan — as "reasonable to insufficient" and notes that energy emissions are expected to increase by 20pc in the decade to 2034. Its NDC avoids any concrete steps towards winding down crude. After you The government's view on fossil fuels is that Brazil's developing country status, the oil and gas industry's importance in its economy and comparatively low fossil fuel emissions justify pushing ahead with oil production. Correa do Lago said earlier that Belem was picked as a venue for Cop 30 to show that Brazil is still a developing country, adding that any decision on oil and gas should be taken by Brazil's citizens. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said that oil revenue will fund the energy transition. It is a position that has earned Brazil accusations of hypocrisy from environmentalists at home and abroad, but which also places it as a possible model for other hydrocarbon-producer developing countries. Brazil's diplomatic tradition of pragmatically balancing seemingly opposing positions could serve it well here, said Gabriel Brasil, a senior analyst focused on climate at Control Risks, a consultancy. He does not see Brazil's attempt to balance climate leadership with continued oil production as hurting its standing among fellow parties or energy investors. Civil society stakeholders hope pre-Cop meetings will help bring clarity on how Brazil might broach the fossil fuel debate. Indigenous groups, which are set to be given more space at Cop, are demanding an end to fossil fuel extraction in the environmentally sensitive Foz do Amazonas offshore basin. Meanwhile, Brazilian state-owned Petrobras moved one step closer to being authorized to begin offshore drilling there . During meetings of the UN climate body — the UNFCCC — in Panama City this week, the Cop 30 presidency will present ideas for the summit "with a focus on the full implementation of the GST". But it has to wait for countries to update their NDCs to gauge what is achievable on mitigation. Only 20 have submitted new NDCs so far, with the deadline pushed back to September. Brazil's own NDC gives some clues. It welcomes the launch "of international work for the definition of schedules for transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems" and reiterates that developed countries should take the lead. And a report commissioned by Brazil's oil chamber IBP and civil society organization ICS to be given to negotiators ranks Brazil as a "mover" in the transition away from oil and gas, ahead of "adapters" like India and Nigeria but behind "front-runners" Germany and the US. The research develops the idea of a country-based transition plan, using criteria such as energy security and institutional and social resilience, as well as oil and gas relevance. By Constance Malleret 2023 Brazil emissions sources Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Norway to implement ReFuelEU Aviation by 2027

20/05/25

Norway to implement ReFuelEU Aviation by 2027

London, 20 May (Argus) — Norway is planning to implement the EU's ReFuelEU Aviation regulations "as soon as possible, and no later than 2027", according to the transport minister. ReFuelEU Aviation entered into force in the EU on 1 January 2025, and will eventually require a 70pc sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) share in all EU airports from 2050. Norway is not part of the EU, but it wants the regulations to be incorporated into the European Economic Area (EEA) and into Norwegian law as soon as possible to "contribute to a level playing field in aviation in Europe". ReFuelEU would require Norwegian aircraft operators to gradually increase the volume of SAF in their fuel mix, starting with a 2pc share in 2025. "The government now wants to implement this as soon as possible," said transport minister Jon-Ivar Nygård. Norway established a sales requirement in 2020 that required aviation fuel suppliers to blend 0.5pc SAF. Norway's biofuels mandates align with EU sustainability criteria under the original renewable energy directive (RED) I, as part of EEA agreements. Norway has made stricter requirements for biofuels sales from the beginning of this year . It was consulting on three options for increases to the biofuels blending obligations for 2026 and 2027, in April . By Madeleine Jenkins Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Brazil backs R80mn for Amazon reforestation project

20/05/25

Brazil backs R80mn for Amazon reforestation project

Sao Paulo, 20 May (Argus) — Brazil's Bndes development bank will finance R80mn ($14.14mn) for Brazilian reforestation startup re.green to recover degraded areas in the Amazon rainforest and the Atlantic forest. The investment will fund re.green's deal with Microsoft , aimed at generating carbon offsets in both biomes, Bndes said. The resources come from the Climate Fund, which is linked to the environment ministry and is managed by Bndes. The project includes areas in Brazil's Restoration Arc initiative, which focuses on recovering degraded territories in the Amazon rainforest's most damaged areas. The Restoration Arc plans to restore 6mn hectares of native flora in the Amazon, as well as recover 1.65bn metric tonnes of CO² from the atmosphere by 2030. But it requires investments of $10bn (R56.5bn), Bndes said. The Climate Fund was created in 2009 with some of its funds coming from oil and natural gas exploration to mitigate and combat climate change. It currently holds around R11bn, according to Bndes. Reforestation is one of Brazil's flagship themes for the UN Cop 30 summit, which it will host in northern Para state in November. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. 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