Several major U.S. banks, including Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Bank of America, have recently announced their departure from the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). This global coalition was established to help financial institutions align their lending and investment portfolios with the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.
However, this wave of exits highlights the growing tension between climate commitments and political pressures, particularly in the U.S.
A Retreat from Climate Commitments: U.S. Banks’ Bold Move
The NZBA, launched in 2021 under the umbrella of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), committed its members to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The alliance required banks to set interim targets, reduce emissions associated with their portfolios, and report progress transparently. It also encouraged funding for projects like renewable energy and reforestation to offset emissions.
By 2023, the NZBA had gained significant traction, with over 100 member banks collectively representing 40% of global banking assets. This made it a key player in mobilizing financial resources for the transition to a low-carbon economy. Yet, political and market dynamics have increasingly complicated these ambitions.
Political Backlash and Legal Challenges
In the U.S., political opposition has intensified against net-zero initiatives. Republican-led states have accused financial institutions of prioritizing climate goals over economic interests.
In November, Texas and 10 other states sued major asset managers like BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street, alleging antitrust violations tied to climate activism. These lawsuits argued that such actions limited fossil fuel financing, reduced coal production, and raised energy prices.
- SEE MORE: BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street in Legal Soup: Texas Coalition Claims Coal Market Manipulation
This political climate has pressured banks to distance themselves from alliances perceived as restrictive or politically charged. Morgan Stanley, Citigroup, and Bank of America’s decisions to exit NZBA follow earlier withdrawals by Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and others, citing similar concerns.
So, What Now After the Exit?
Despite leaving the NZBA, these banks remain committed to their sustainability goals. Morgan Stanley reiterated its pledge to report on interim financed emissions targets for 2030, emphasizing its continued support for clients transitioning to greener practices.
The bank has committed to achieving net-zero financed emissions by 2050. To support this long-term objective, Morgan Stanley has set the following 2030 targets for major emitting sectors:

The firm plans to collaborate with clients to develop and implement strategies that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Additionally, Morgan Stanley emphasizes the importance of transparent reporting and has committed to disclosing its progress toward these goals regularly.
Citigroup also noted its progress on independent net-zero goals, while Bank of America stated it would continue working with clients to meet their sustainability needs.
Citigroup has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, including both its operations and the emissions associated with its financing activities. As part of this commitment, Citi aims to decarbonize its own operations by 2030.
The bank has developed a Net Zero Framework that includes:
- calculating baseline financed emissions for carbon-intensive sectors,
- identifying appropriate climate transition pathways,
- setting emissions reduction targets for 2030 and beyond, and
- implementing strategies through client engagement.

Similarly, Bank of America remains committed to achieving net-zero GHG emissions across its financing activities, operations, and supply chain before 2050. To support this goal, the bank has set interim targets for 2030, focusing on reducing emissions in key sectors such as auto manufacturing, energy, and power generation.

- Their strategy includes mobilizing $1 trillion by 2030 through their Environmental Business Initiative to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.
Additionally, Bank of America achieved carbon neutrality in its operations in 2019 and continues to work towards making its operations more sustainable.
These approaches reflect a strategic balancing act among major bankers. On the one hand, these institutions seek to maintain credibility as leaders in sustainable finance. On the other, they aim to avoid political and financial risks that could arise from their association with climate-focused alliances.
Broader Challenges Facing NZBA
The challenges confronting NZBA extend beyond political opposition. Questions about the availability and quality of carbon credits, critical for offsetting emissions, have raised concerns about the alliance’s effectiveness. Ensuring that credits meet stringent environmental and social standards is essential to maintaining the credibility of net-zero commitments.
Operational complexities also pose difficulties. For instance, NZBA requires members to harmonize emissions reporting and reduction efforts across diverse portfolios and jurisdictions. This has led to administrative bottlenecks and slowed progress in achieving interim goals.
Another challenge is the perception of double regulation. Flights between the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA), for example, face overlapping compliance requirements under both CORSIA and local emissions trading schemes.
Similarly, banks must navigate overlapping climate regulations across multiple frameworks, further complicating their compliance efforts.
GFANZ’s Evolving Role
The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which oversees NZBA and other sectoral alliances, has adapted its strategy in response to these challenges.
GFANZ announced it would no longer require financial institutions to join specific alliances to benefit from its guidance. Instead, it will focus on addressing critical gaps in data, investment, and public policy to accelerate the transition to net zero. The Alliance stated in a statement that it has:
“achieved its initial goal of developing the building blocks of a financial system capable of financing the transition to net zero.”
This shift aims to unlock over $5 trillion annually to modernize energy systems and decarbonize economies globally. By prioritizing actionable investments and public-private partnerships, GFANZ hopes to sustain momentum despite recent defections.
But What Does it Mean for Sustainable Finance?
The exits from NZBA signal broader uncertainties in the sustainable finance sector. While financial institutions recognize the importance of addressing climate risks, they face competing pressures from stakeholders with differing priorities.
Investors demand accountability on climate goals, yet political forces challenge these commitments, particularly when viewed as detrimental to traditional industries like fossil fuels.
Moreover, the scaling back of collective initiatives like NZBA could slow progress in mobilizing the trillions of dollars needed for the low-carbon transition. Without unified frameworks, banks may pursue fragmented approaches, reducing the overall effectiveness of global climate action.
Opportunities And the Road Ahead for Net Zero Banking
Despite these setbacks, opportunities remain for financial institutions to lead in sustainable finance. By leveraging innovative tools like sustainable bonds and green loans, banks can support decarbonization while mitigating political and financial risks.
Moreover, investing in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and emerging carbon capture technologies offers pathways to align profitability with climate goals.
The exits of major U.S. banks from NZBA highlight the delicate interplay between climate ambition and political realities. While these developments may slow collective action, they also underscore the need for adaptable strategies to sustain progress. By addressing challenges proactively, the financial sector can continue to play a pivotal role in the global transition to a sustainable future.
The post Morgan Stanley, Citi and Bank of America Exit Net-Zero Alliance: What’s Next for Sustainable Finance? appeared first on Carbon Credits.
Carbon Footprint
Climate Impact Partners Unveils High-Quality Carbon Credits from Sabah Rainforest in Malaysia
The voluntary carbon market is changing. Buyers are no longer focused only on large volumes of cheap credits. Instead, they want projects with strong science, long-term monitoring, and clear proof that carbon has truly been removed from the atmosphere. That shift is drawing more attention to high-integrity, nature-based projects.
One project now gaining that spotlight is the Sabah INFAPRO rainforest rehabilitation project in Malaysia. Climate Impact Partners announced that the project is now issuing verified carbon removal credits, opening access to one of the highest-quality nature-based removals currently available in the global market.
Restoring One of the World’s Richest Rainforest Ecosystems
The project is located in Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. This region is home to tropical dipterocarp rainforest, one of the richest forest ecosystems on Earth. These forests store huge amounts of carbon and support extraordinary biodiversity. Some dipterocarp trees can grow up to 70 meters tall, creating habitat for orangutans, pygmy elephants, gibbons, sun bears, and the critically endangered Sumatran rhino.
However, the forest within the INFAPRO project area was not intact. In the 1980s, selective logging removed many of the most valuable tree species, especially large dipterocarps. That caused serious ecological damage. Once the key mother trees were gone, natural regeneration became much harder. Young seedlings also had to compete with dense vines and shrubs, which slowed the forest’s recovery.
To repair that damage, the INFAPRO project was launched in the Ulu-Segama forestry management unit in eastern Sabah.
- The project has restored more than 25,000 hectares of logged-over rainforest.
- It was developed by Face the Future in cooperation with Yayasan Sabah, while Climate Impact Partners has supported the project and helped bring its credits to market.
Why Sabah’s Carbon Removals are Attracting Attention
What makes Sabah INFAPRO different is not only the size of the restoration effort. It is also the way the project measured carbon gains.

Many forest carbon projects issue credits in annual vintages based on year-by-year growth estimates. Sabah INFAPRO followed a different path. It used a landscape-scale monitoring system and waited until the forest moved through its strongest natural growth period before issuing removal credits.
- This approach gives the credits more weight. Rather than relying mainly on short-term annual estimates, the project measured carbon sequestration over a longer period. That helps show that the forest delivered real, sustained, and measurable carbon removal.
The scientific backing is also unusually strong. Since 2007, the project has maintained nearly 400 permanent monitoring plots. These plots have allowed researchers, independent auditors, and technical specialists to observe the full growth cycle of dipterocarp forest recovery. The result is a large body of field data that supports carbon calculations and strengthens confidence in the credits.
In simple terms, buyers are not just being asked to trust a model. They are being shown years of direct forest monitoring across the project landscape.
Strong Ratings Support Market Confidence
Independent assessment has also lifted the project’s profile. BeZero awarded Sabah INFAPRO an A.pre overall rating and an AA score for permanence. That places the project among the highest-rated Improved Forest Management, or IFM, projects in the world.
The rating reflects several important strengths. First, the project has very low exposure to reversal risk. Second, it has a long and stable operating history. Third, its measured carbon gains align well with peer-reviewed ecological research and independent analysis.
These points matter in today’s market. Buyers have become more cautious after years of debate over the quality of some forest carbon credits. As a result, they now look more closely at durability, transparency, and third-party validation. Sabah INFAPRO’s rating helps answer those concerns and makes the project more attractive to companies looking for credible carbon removal.
The project is also registered with Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard under the name INFAPRO Rehabilitation of Logged-over Dipterocarp Forest in Sabah, Malaysia. That adds another level of market recognition and verification.
A Wider Model for Rainforest Recovery
Sabah INFAPRO also shows why high-quality nature-based projects are about more than carbon alone. The restoration effort supports broader ecological recovery in one of the world’s most important rainforest regions.
Climate Impact Partners said it has worked with project partners to restore degraded areas, run local training programs, carry out monthly forest patrols, and distribute seedlings to support rainforest recovery beyond the project boundary. These efforts help strengthen the wider landscape and expand the project’s environmental impact.
That broader value is becoming more important for buyers. Companies increasingly want projects that support biodiversity, ecosystem health, and local engagement, along with carbon removal. Sabah INFAPRO offers that mix, making it a stronger fit for the market’s shift toward higher-integrity credits.

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Carbon Footprint
Bitcoin Falls as Energy Prices Rise: Why Crypto Is Now an Energy Market Story
Bitcoin’s recent drop below $70,000 reflects more than short-term market pressure. It signals a deeper shift. The world’s largest cryptocurrency is becoming increasingly tied to global energy markets.
For years, Bitcoin has moved mainly on investor sentiment, adoption trends, and regulation. Today, another force is shaping its direction: the cost of energy.
As oil prices rise and electricity markets tighten, Bitcoin is starting to behave less like a tech asset and more like an energy-dependent system. This shift is changing how investors, analysts, and policymakers understand crypto.
A Global Power Consumer: Inside Bitcoin’s Energy Use
Bitcoin depends on mining, a process that uses powerful computers to verify transactions. These machines run continuously and consume large amounts of electricity.
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows Bitcoin mining used between 67 and 240 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2023, with a midpoint estimate of about 120 TWh.

Other estimates place consumption closer to 170 TWh per year in 2025. This accounts for roughly 0.5% of global electricity demand. Recently, as of February 2026, estimates see Bitcoin’s energy use reaching over 200 TWh per year.
That level of energy use is significant. Global electricity demand reached about 27,400 TWh in 2023. Bitcoin’s share may seem small, but it is comparable to the power use of mid-sized countries.
The network also requires steady power. Estimates suggest it draws around 10 gigawatts continuously, similar to several large power plants operating at full capacity. This constant demand makes energy costs central to Bitcoin’s economics.
When Oil Rises, Bitcoin Falls
Bitcoin mining is highly sensitive to electricity prices. Energy is the highest operating cost for miners. When power becomes more expensive, profit margins shrink.
Recent market movements show this link clearly. As oil prices rise and inflation concerns persist, energy costs have increased. At the same time, Bitcoin prices have weakened, falling below the $70,000 level.

This is not a coincidence. Studies show a direct relationship between Bitcoin prices, mining activity, and electricity use. When Bitcoin prices rise, more miners join the network, increasing energy demand. When energy costs rise, less efficient miners may shut down, reducing activity and adding selling pressure.
This creates a feedback loop between crypto and energy markets. Bitcoin is no longer driven only by demand and speculation. It is now influenced by the same forces that affect oil, gas, and power prices.
Cleaner Energy Use Is Growing, but Fossil Fuels Still Matter
Bitcoin’s environmental impact depends on its energy mix. This mix is improving, but it remains uneven.
A 2025 study from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance found that 52.4% of Bitcoin mining now uses sustainable energy. This includes both renewable sources (42.6%) and nuclear power (9.8%). The share has risen significantly from about 37.6% in 2022.
Despite this progress, fossil fuels still account for a large portion of mining energy. Natural gas alone makes up about 38.2%, while coal continues to contribute a smaller share.

This reliance on fossil fuels keeps emissions high. Current estimates suggest Bitcoin produces more than 114 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. That puts it in line with emissions from some industrial sectors.
The shift toward cleaner energy is real, but it is not complete. The pace of change will play a key role in how Bitcoin fits into global climate goals.
Bitcoin’s Climate Debate Intensifies
Bitcoin’s growing energy demand has placed it at the center of ESG discussions. Its impact is often measured through three key areas:
- Total electricity use, which rivals that of entire countries.
- Carbon emissions are estimated at over 100 million tons of CO₂ annually.
- Energy intensity, with a single transaction using large amounts of power.

At the same time, the industry is evolving. Mining companies are adopting more efficient hardware and exploring new energy sources. Some operations use excess renewable power or capture waste energy, such as flare gas from oil fields.
These efforts show progress, but they do not fully address the concerns. The gap between Bitcoin’s energy use and its environmental impact remains a key issue for investors and regulators.
- MUST READ: Bitcoin Price Hits All-Time High Above $126K: ETFs, Market Drivers, and the Future of Digital Gold
Bitcoin Is Becoming Part of the Energy System
Bitcoin mining is now closely integrated with the broader energy system. Operators often choose locations based on access to cheap or excess electricity. This includes areas with strong renewable generation or underused energy resources.
This integration creates both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, mining can support energy systems by using power that might otherwise go to waste. It can also provide flexible demand that helps stabilize grids.
On the other hand, it can increase pressure on local electricity supplies and extend the use of fossil fuels if cleaner options are not available.
In the United States, Bitcoin mining could account for up to 2.3% of total electricity demand in certain scenarios. This highlights how quickly the sector is scaling and how closely it is tied to national energy systems.
Energy Markets Are Now Key to Bitcoin’s Future
Looking ahead, the connection between Bitcoin and energy is expected to grow stronger. The network’s computing power, or hash rate, continues to reach new highs, which typically leads to higher energy use.
Electricity will remain the main cost for miners. This means Bitcoin will continue to respond to changes in energy prices and supply conditions. At the same time, governments are starting to pay closer attention to crypto’s environmental impact, which could shape future regulations.

Some forecasts suggest Bitcoin’s energy use could rise sharply if adoption increases, potentially reaching up to 400 TWh in extreme scenarios. However, cleaner energy systems could reduce the carbon impact over time.
Bitcoin is no longer just a financial asset. It is also a large-scale energy consumer and a growing part of the global power system.
As a result, understanding Bitcoin now requires a broader view. Energy prices, electricity markets, and carbon trends are becoming just as important as market demand and investor sentiment.
The message is clear. As energy markets move, Bitcoin is likely to move with them.
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Carbon Footprint
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