Agenda – Carbon Forward Asia 2026

08.30     Registration  and coffee

09.00     Welcome address

09.10     Keynote Address: Singapore’s carbon market strategy – leveraging carbon tax policy with Article 6 to unlock international carbon market opportunities

09.30     COP30 outcomes and how decisions made are impacting APEC carbon markets

• Exploring how COP30 outcomes are translating into global carbon market activity across APEC economies. Speakers will discuss existing Article 6 bilateral agreements, how they are being integrated into national carbon-market frameworks, and what this means for building credible credit pipelines – including opportunities and challenges for Pacific Island states.

10.00     The future of the energy transition and what it means in the era of Trump

• Carbon pricing is only one lever for reducing emissions; the greatest impact comes from shifts in the energy mix and the collective net-zero ambition under the Paris Agreement. With the US once again stepping back from the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC, the implications for a 2050 net-zero pathway are significant. What will sustain momentum, and how should policymakers and market participants respond? Is this simply a four-year disruption, or does it signal a deeper challenge for global climate cooperation?

Presenter:
Peter Zaman, Partner, Singapore, HFW

10.30     Coffee break

11.00.   LEVERS FOR MARKET GROWTH

Hosted by:
Louis Redshaw, CEO & Co-founder, Redshaw Advisors & Carbon Forward

Lever 1: Article 6 – the glue driving global carbon market integration

• With Article 6 providing the framework for cross-border carbon trading, and connecting the voluntary and compliance markets, it is the game changer for carbon markets. This session will focus on the implications for Asia and explain who the present buyers are, and who is coming to the table. The session will also consider how countries implement Article 6 through corresponding adjustments and domestic legislation, and looks at the differences between 6.2 (cooperative approaches) and 6.4 (centralised crediting). Article 6 will continue to unlock demand and create new opportunities in Asia – it is indeed a catalyst. This session will also consider how CBAM may allow Article 6 credits and boost demand, what might that look like?

Presenter:
Bjorn Fonden, International Policy Advisor, International Emissions Trading Association (IETA)

Presenter:
Joy Foo, Carbon Markets Analyst, BloombergNEF

Lever 2: Singapore carbon tax and Article 6 – driving market growth and credible demand

• Singapore’s carbon tax is a core policy driving emissions reductions while laying the foundation for a robust domestic carbon market. This session will explore how the tax is combining with Article 6 mechanisms, the size of the market, which project types are benefiting, and the impact on prices. We will also discuss whether CCPs can be used to test credit validity and how these tools create demand signals for high-integrity projects.

Lever 3: The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets – unlocking supply and boosting investor confidence in the VCM

• The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets is a group of governments promoting high-integrity voluntary carbon markets. This session explores how the coalition’s shared principles and policy guidance give buyers and investors confidence, support robust credit supply, and help scale markets across regions. It will also examine how the coalition drives growth, fosters private-sector engagement, and aligns voluntary markets with global climate goals.

Presenter:
Chris Yeap, SE Asia Regional Lead, Green Finance and Carbon Pricing Mechanisms, British High Commission, Singapore

Lever 4: CORSIA – scaling demand for high quality carbon credits

• Exploring the types of projects in demand, how insurance and policy developments shape supply and prices, and which credits are likely to be winners or losers. Attendees will gain insight into the future dynamics of CORSIA-driven markets and implications for investors and buyers.

Presenter:
Faris Pleho, Head of Aviation and CORSIA, MSCI

12.30     Lunch

13.50     Regional carbon trading regimes

• Carbon market developments across Asia – highlighting some key country updates, emerging mechanisms, and pricing frameworks. These presentations will explore market based initiatives regulatory trends, and how regional policies are shaping the growth of high-quality carbon markets. The focus is on opportunities and challenges for investors, buyers, and project developers across the region.

Moderator:
Katie Kouchakji, Journalist, Carbon Pulse

Japan – reshaping its carbon market landscape

• Japan’s GX (Green Transformation) strategy is reshaping its carbon market landscape, linking the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) with Article 6 pathways and the voluntary carbon market. This session explores how JCM projects are evolving toward international transferability, what this means for demand, pricing, and credit integrity, and how voluntary market activity fits into Japan’s broader move toward compliance. It will also examine the implications for project developers, buyers, and regional market alignment.

Presenter:
Tadashi Sawamura, General Manager, Carbon Market Development, Mitsubishi Corporation

India – emerging carbon market and global integration

• This session looks at India’s developing domestic carbon market framework working alongside its existing its voluntary market activity, with a growing focus on compliance mechanisms and international engagement. We will explore how India’s approach fits within global carbon markets, including its interaction with voluntary credits and potential pathways under Article 6. The discussion will consider what this means for supply, international demand, and India’s role as a major source of carbon credits worldwide.

Australia – policy reform, outlook and international linkage

• Australia’s carbon market is entering a critical phase, with the market fast approaching its second compliance deadline under the reformed Safeguard Mechanism, as well as a legislated review of the scheme that will shape its scope and ambition in the years ahead. This session will unpack the impacts of the Safeguard Mechanism reforms and the ACCU Scheme Review, including implications for supply, demand, and prices. It will also explore the potential for greater international participation and market linkages, and what this could mean for Australia’s role in global carbon markets.

Presenter:
Camille Wee, Analyst, BloombergNEF

14.20     Carbon market evolution in Asia Pacific’s major economies

• As well as the above regions, we also look at carbon market evolution in other Asia Pacific’s economies, including a focus on China and South Korea

14.50     Afternoon break

15.20     ASEAN interoperability – linking markets, infrastructure and investment

• This session explores how interoperability and market infrastructure, including registries, exchanges, and shared system, can enable ASEAN carbon markets to function more effectively for investors and buyers. It will examine the ASEAN Common Carbon Framework and efforts to harmonise national approaches, with practical examples from Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand’s Article 6.2 transactions, Malaysia’s market infrastructure development and Indonesia’s recent Presidential Regulation which opens participation in the country with largest source of voluntary carbon market alongside ongoing Article 6 developments. These country’s evolving frameworks and their increased interoperability highlight both the opportunities and challenges of scaling high-quality supply across Southeast Asia.

Moderator:
Christy Zakarias, Head of Secretariat, ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM); Director of Sustainability Transition Advisory, Equatorise

Panellists:
Wei-nee Chen, Head, Carbon Market, Bursa Malaysia
Dang Hanh, Co-founder, Director, VNEEC
Anshari Rahman, Director of Strategy and Development Group (Policy & Analytics), GenZero; ACCF Steering Committee Representative, Singapore Sustainable Finance Association (SSFA)

16.20     CORSIA in Asia – project demand, risk and market dynamics

• Examining the projects driving CORSIA demand, how insurance and policy developments shape liquidity, price transparency, and operational access, and which credits are likely to see the strongest demand or face challenges. The session will focus on the future dynamics of CORSIA-driven markets and their attractiveness for investment.

Panellists:
Saurabh Joshi, Head of Origination and Strategic Partnerships, Climate Impact X
David Kitt, Chief Technology Officer, DelAgua
Philip See Yew Jin, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Malaysia Aviation Group
Win Sim Tan, Regional Representative, Southeast Asia Legal, Markets and Development, Verra

17.20     Close of day one and evening reception