🧭 The compliance decade
Sustainability & Climate.
Regulatory climate — from CBAM and CSRD to EUDR, voluntary carbon markets, green hydrogen, and the physical investments shaping decarbonisation.
CBAM Definitive Phase (2026)
⚡ HighEU CBAM moved to definitive phase January 2026: actual certificate purchases now required for imports of steel, aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, electricity. The first extended compliance cycle runs Q1-Q3 2026.
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →
CSRD Implementation Reality
📈 RisingEU CSRD phased reporting started for largest companies in 2025; wave 2 (large companies >250 employees) reports in 2026 for FY25. Non-EU companies with significant EU revenue also in scope. ESG data consultancies are in hyper-growth mode.
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →
EUDR (Deforestation) Implementation
📈 RisingEU Deforestation Regulation affects coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, beef, rubber, timber imports. Applicability was delayed once; full effect Q1 2026. Traceability-to-plot-level required.
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →
Voluntary Carbon Markets Reset
➤ SteadyVCM recovering from 2023-24 credibility crisis. ICVCM Core Carbon Principles and SBTi Net-Zero Standards providing quality floors. Prices remain compressed but institutional interest building in engineered-removal (BECCS, DAC).
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →
Green Hydrogen Economics
➤ SteadyGreen-H2 projects are scaling but cost-competitiveness remains elusive outside subsidised geographies. EU Hydrogen Bank auctions, US IRA PTC structure, and India NGHM shape global price formation.
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →
Direct Air Capture (DAC) Scaling
📈 RisingClimeworks, Heirloom, Carbon Engineering/1PointFive scaling commercial plants. DOE Regional DAC Hubs pumping $3.5B into US projects. Costs still $500-1000/ton but downward curve shaping.
1 source · updated 2026-04-26 →