The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) took a major step to speed up approvals for domestic mineral production. In response to President Trump’s executive order, Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production, the Council named 10 mining projects that will now benefit from a faster, more transparent federal permitting process.

These projects, targeting minerals like copper, antimony, lithium, and potash, have been granted FAST-41 status. This designation falls under a 2015 federal initiative that streamlines permitting for major infrastructure projects. The White House confirmed more projects will be added soon.

First Wave of Mineral Projects Gets Priority Review

The press release emphasized that all 10 projects are now listed on the Federal Permitting Dashboard, a public platform that tracks each project’s progress through the environmental review and permitting process. This move ensures:

• Greater transparency for project sponsors, communities, and federal agencies
• Public access to updated timelines and review statuses
• Increased accountability across federal review teams

These changes aim to boost American mineral production, support job growth, and cut down the country’s dependence on foreign mineral imports.

Projects on the Permitting Dashboard

The first group of FAST-41 projects includes:

• Resolution Copper Project
• Stibnite Gold Project
• Warrior Met Coal Mines
• McDermitt Exploration Project
• South West Arkansas Project
• Caldwell Canyon Mine Project
• Libby Exploration Project
• Lisbon Valley Copper Project
• Silver Peak Lithium Mine
• Michigan Potash Project

These sites were submitted by the chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) and are the first batch in what the administration says will be a growing list.

Dashboard Offers Oversight, Not Federal Approval

The Federal order also highlighted an important point that being listed on the dashboard does not mean the federal government endorses or funds these projects. It also does not guarantee project approval. A project’s status can change if new information affects its review scope or requirements.

Still, this transparency effort gives a significant boost to more predictable and accountable permitting for critical mineral resources needed to fuel U.S. economic growth.

• RELATED: Trump’s Tactic to Make America Great Again: Expanding Domestic Oil, Gas, and Critical Minerals 

Trump Pushes for Faster U.S. Critical Mineral Production

The U.S. gets 70% of its rare earth minerals from China, which weakens the supply chain for important industries like defense, electronics, and renewable energy. China has also imposed export controls on key materials like gallium and germanium, further increasing the urgency for the U.S. to secure its resources.

On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order to boost the U.S. critical minerals supply chain. It allows the Defense Production Act (DPA) to fund mining and processing projects through the Department of Defense and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. The goal is to speed up production of key minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths, and possibly even coal.

The critical minerals list will also include uranium, copper, potash, and gold. The latest order includes a coal mine, signaling coal’s return to a more prominent role in the U.S. energy mix.

Perpetua Resources Set to Power U.S. Antimony

Critical minerals, particularly antimony, are key for military use. They support missile systems, fighter jets, and advanced communications technology. By expanding domestic production, the U.S. aims to strengthen its defense capabilities and reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions. Under these circumstances, Perpetua Resources Corp’s Stibnite Gold Project will play a major role in boosting domestic antimony supply.

The company announced that its Stibnite Gold Project is one of just 10 projects selected for the Federal Permitting Dashboard, ensuring faster reviews, better coordination, and public tracking.

Perpetua has received nearly $75 million from the U.S. Department of Defense under the Defense Production Act and a $1.8 billion Letter of Interest from the U.S. Export-Import Bank in 2024. The final federal permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected by Q2 2025. The U.S. Forest Service issued its final Record of Decision in January 2025.

The Idaho-based project is the only domestic source of antimony. With China banning antimony exports to the U.S., Stibnite could meet up to 35% of national demand in its first six years, according to the 2023 U.S. Geological Survey.

Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources, said,

“Being recognized as a Transparency Project by the White House underscores the immense strategic value of the Stibnite Gold Project. We are honored by this selection, which validates the urgency and importance of our Project for America’s economic and national security. We stand ready to restore the site and bolster American mineral independence.”

• EXPLORE MORE: Is Trump’s Coal Comeback Derailing America’s Climate Commitments? 

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The UK government has rolled out an ambitious plan to become a world leader in green finance. Its goal is to create stronger, more transparent voluntary carbon and nature markets. These markets allow businesses to trade carbon credit certificates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through eco-friendly projects like reforestation or clean energy.

Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:

“Building up trust in carbon and nature markets is crucial to their success in driving meaningful climate action and real, lasting change for the environment. The UK is determined to spearhead global efforts to raise integrity in these markets so they can channel the finance needed to tackle the climate crisis and speed up the global clean energy transition. These principles will cement the UK as the global hub for green finance and carbon markets. This is an opportunity to deliver on the climate crisis and drive investment and growth in the UK as part of our Plan for Change.”

Unlocking Green Finance for the Future

Each carbon credit equals one metric ton of carbon dioxide reduced or removed. Experts have predicted that the global demand for carbon credits is expected to soar. The voluntary carbon markets could grow to $250 billion by 2050, and nature-based markets could reach $69 billion.

The press release revealed that the UK government wants to make it easier and safer for companies to invest in such credits. They also aim to support high-integrity projects that protect nature and lower emissions.

Additionally, these markets can mobilize climate finance and support cleaner and greener operations. They will also deliver benefits for biodiversity and local communities.

However, these credits must be used the right way. They must show real results, not merely greenwash. And companies should use them to complement, not replace, their own efforts to cut emissions.

• READ MORE: What’s Next for Forest Carbon Credits? This UK Climate Tech Startup is Boosting Trust with Real-Time Data 

Tackling Confusion, Building Trust

Many businesses remain unsure about how to use carbon and nature credits. Others worry about whether the credits are doing any real good. To fix this, the UK is developing a new framework that makes the system more transparent and reliable.

Key steps include:

• Clear guidelines for buyers and sellers
• Full disclosure on how credits are used
• A focus on real environmental results
• Avoiding greenwashing in public claims

The government has also launched a 12-week consultation. It wants feedback from businesses, investors, and the public to help shape the final framework. The goal is to create a trusted and fair system that supports climate and nature goals in the UK and abroad.

Driving Growth in the Green Economy

The plan arrives at a time when the UK’s net-zero sector is booming. According to the government, this part of the economy is growing 3X faster than the average. Since July, clean energy industries have received more than £43.7 billion in private investment. Green jobs are also on the rise, with employment up over 10% last year.

The UK already has a strong position in climate diplomacy and green finance. Notably, London has topped the Z/Yen Green Finance Index for seven years constantly. And with companies like BeZero, Sylvera, and the London Stock Exchange Group pioneering climate finance solutions, the UK has set its global standards high.

Furthermore, it supports developing nations in accessing high-quality carbon finance.

UK Pushes for High-Quality Carbon Credits and Lower Emissions

As explained earlier, the new plan aims to attract billions in private investment to tackle climate change. At the same time, it will open new income streams for UK businesses, especially in farming and land use. By creating clear rules and boosting trust, the government wants to make the UK a global hub for carbon and nature trading.

Projects supported through these markets could include:

• Reforestation and peatland restoration
• Deployment of electric vehicles
• Renewable energy systems

The government is backing these efforts with a new set of six integrity principles. These rules will help ensure that only high-quality carbon credits are used and that businesses remain focused on cutting their emissions first, before turning to offsets.

Here’s the summary of these integrity principles

6 Integrity Principles in Voluntary Carbon and Nature Markets

The UK Government is asking for input on how these six principles can build stronger, more reliable carbon and nature markets:

1. Cut Emissions First, Then Use Credits
   Companies should cut their own emissions first. The Government may endorse the VCMI Code and wants feedback on helping firms meet it, along with views on scaling insetting to build trust.
2. Stick to Quality Credits
   Only use credits that actually make a difference. The Government plans to back ICVCM’s global standards and wants input on how to apply them in the UK, especially for nature-based projects.
3. Be Open About Credit Use
   Companies should be clear about how they use carbon credits. The government wants to hear what’s working and what’s not, and whether VCMI’s reporting guidance should be part of UK rules.
4. Include Credits in Climate Plans
   As UK firms publish climate plans that align with the 1.5°C goal, the Government wants feedback on how carbon credits can help them stay on track.
5. Make Clear Climate Claims
   Green claims should be simple and honest. The Government is looking at ways to define key terms and create a standard that keeps things clear and credible.
6. Team Up for Stronger Markets
   The Government is seeking views on how to improve alignment across the UK and internationally, and how clearer laws and regulations could build trust and understanding.

The government also highlighted that the voluntary markets allow companies to buy carbon credits voluntarily and are not meant for legal requirements like the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. All in all, UK’s goal is to build a top-tier carbon and nature credit market by setting high standards and transparency.

• SEE MORE: UK’s £22 Billion Carbon Capture and Storage Plan: A Bold Step or A Fossil Fuel Trap?

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The Green Impact Exchange (GIX) is about to make history. It’s set to become the first U.S. stock exchange focused only on companies that care about the environment and long-term sustainability.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved GIX to register as a national securities exchange, giving it the green light to begin trading in early 2026. This move comes at a time when sustainable investing faces some challenges.

In recent months, investors have pulled billions of dollars from ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) funds. In just one week, nearly $5.7 billion was withdrawn from ESG exchange-traded funds—one of the largest outflows in over a year. Still, the team behind GIX believes demand for green investments will grow over time.

What Is GIX All About?

GIX was founded in 2022 by two former leaders from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE): Daniel Labovitz, who used to lead regulatory policy at the NYSE, and Charles Dolan, a former Executive Floor Governor. Their goal is to create a place where companies with real sustainability goals can connect with investors who care about the future of the planet.

To be listed on GIX, a company must:

• Publicly commit to long-term sustainability.
• Make clear plans for the short, medium, and long term on how they will run more sustainably.
• Align their business with these sustainability promises.
• Use a recognized sustainability reporting framework.
• Regularly report their progress.
• Involve and communicate with stakeholders in their sustainability journey.

At first, GIX will allow companies to list shares on both GIX and another stock exchange. But in the future, companies may be able to use GIX as their main trading home.

A Green Light in a Tough Time

Even though some ESG funds are seeing investors pull back, other parts of the green economy are growing. Venture capital and private equity firms invested more than $5 billion in climate-tech startups in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2025. That’s a jump of almost 65% compared to last year, based on data from PitchBook.

• RELATED: Texas Withdraws $8.5 Billion from BlackRock Over ESG Investing

This shows that while traditional ESG funds may be struggling, there’s still strong interest in new clean technologies. GIX is hoping to tap into that interest by focusing only on companies that are serious about their impact on the environment.

Dan Labovitz, GIX’s co-founder and CEO, said the SEC’s approval is a big step for investors and businesses who want markets that support better environmental choices. He thanked the SEC for supporting a market-led way to help companies raise money in a greener way, saying:

“Today’s approval order is an important step forward for sustainability-minded investors and companies…We are grateful to the SEC for their support of market-driven innovations that will improve capital formation.”

Building a Marketplace for a Cleaner Future

Charles Dolan, the other GIX co-founder and its president, explained why this matters: “Climate risk is business risk. It’s that simple.” In other words, businesses that don’t plan for the effects of climate change could suffer, and so could their investors.

Public exchanges like GIX aim to connect investors who care about sustainability with companies that are actually doing something about it. These are companies making real efforts to cut carbon emissions, use clean energy, and reduce waste.

GIX says it has already talked to hundreds of companies in the past 18 months. Many of these companies operate globally and see sustainability as key to staying competitive.

“We’re not seeing evidence of a slowdown,” said Labovitz. “If anything, we are seeing signs that it will continue to grow.”

A New Kind of Listing With a Vision for a Greener Tomorrow

Unlike traditional stock exchanges that focus mainly on financial performance, GIX will also track how well companies do on their environmental goals. That means investors won’t just look at profits. They’ll also consider whether a company is meeting its promises to reduce pollution, use clean energy, and treat people fairly.

To stay listed, companies must meet the rules identified earlier, e.g., setting real sustainability goals and taking steps to meet them. These rules mean companies can’t just say they care about the environment—they have to prove it.

GIX is still working with FINRA, a financial industry regulator, to make sure everything is ready for trading. When it launches in early 2026, it hopes to attract both well-known public companies and new startups that put sustainability first.

Even with the ups and downs of ESG investing, GIX is betting that sustainability will remain a key issue for investors. Climate change, resource use, and social impact are not going away. Companies that plan for these challenges—and show they’re taking action—may become the leaders of tomorrow.

By creating a marketplace just for them, GIX wants to speed up this shift and give investors a better way to support a greener, more responsible economy.

• READ MORE: Trump’s Second Term Sparks a Turning Point in ESG and Climate Disclosure Policies

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Microsoft has taken a major step in its efforts to reduce its impact on the environment. The tech company recently signed the biggest-ever deal to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. This agreement is part of Microsoft’s plan to become carbon negative by 2030, which means it wants to remove more CO2 from the air than it releases.

The deal is with a company called Fidelis, through its portfolio company AtmosClear. Over the next 15 years, Microsoft will pay AtmosClear to permanently remove 6.75 million metric tons of CO2 using a special type of technology called BECCS.

Burning Plants, Burying Carbon: How BECCS Works

BECCS stands for “bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.” It’s a method that produces clean energy while also capturing and storing carbon emissions. Here’s how it works:

First, biomass (like sugarcane waste or wood trimmings) is burned to create energy. As the biomass burns, it releases CO2, but instead of letting that CO2 escape into the atmosphere, it is captured and stored deep underground or turned into low-carbon fuels. This process not only creates energy but also removes CO2 from the air because the plants used as biomass absorb CO2 as they grow.

In this case, AtmosClear will build a BECCS facility at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge in Louisiana. The plant will begin construction in 2026 and is expected to start operations in 2029. It will use sustainable materials like sugarcane leftovers and forest trimmings to produce energy while removing about 680,000 metric tons of CO2 each year.

What Makes the Microsoft-AtmosClear Deal Unique?

This new deal with AtmosClear stands out because of its size and focus on permanent carbon removal. BECCS is different from temporary methods, like planting trees.

Trees can be lost to fire or disease. In contrast, BECCS captures and stores carbon. This process keeps carbon out of the atmosphere for hundreds or even thousands of years.

Experts say that engineered carbon removal solutions like BECCS are essential for the long term. While natural methods like reforestation are helpful, they may not be enough on their own to meet global targets. 

About 2 million tons of CO2 are captured yearly from biogenic sources, but less than half is stored permanently. Most capture happens at bioethanol plants due to lower costs.

The largest BECCS project, Illinois Industrial CCS, began storing CO2 underground in 2018. Red Trail and Blue Flint plants followed in 2022 and 2023. Other small plants in the U.S. and Europe sell captured CO2 for greenhouse use or enhanced oil recovery instead of permanent storage.

A Huge Bet in Clean Energy and Carbon Removal 

Microsoft’s carbon removal deal is worth an estimated $800 million. The project is expected to create 600 construction jobs and 75 permanent jobs in the region. It will also support forestry management jobs that were lost when older wood mills shut down.

This investment will not only help reduce carbon emissions but also bring economic benefits to the local community. As Daniel J. Shapiro, the CEO of Fidelis, said, the project is proof that clean energy can help both the environment and the economy. He further said:

“This contract with Microsoft marks a transformative moment for the high-quality, engineered carbon removal market…We are proud to build infrastructure in Baton Rouge, a place many of us at Fidelis have called home, that not only removes carbon from the atmosphere but also provides economic opportunity for Louisiana.”

Carbon removal is becoming more important as companies and governments try to meet climate goals. While reducing emissions is crucial, scientists say that we also need to remove existing CO2 from the atmosphere to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Technologies like BECCS and direct air capture or DAC (which pulls CO2 directly from the air) can play a key role in reaching global net-zero targets.

Microsoft is one of many companies investing in carbon removal. The company has already signed several other agreements to remove CO2. In April 2025 alone, Microsoft committed to over 10 million metric tons of carbon removal through different deals. The company is the biggest buyer of carbon removal (CDR) credits in 2024.

• READ MORE: Microsoft Leads as Carbon Removal Credits Hit 8 Million Tonnes in 2024

Carbon Removal Goes Mainstream

The carbon removal industry is still young, but it’s growing fast. Right now, it’s valued at about $2 billion globally. Experts believe it could grow to $50 billion by 2030 and more than $250 billion by 2035. And BECCS is one of the carbon removal technologies estimated to grow significantly in 2050 as part of the net-zero strategy.

This growth is being driven by strong demand from large companies like Microsoft, Stripe, and Shopify, which have made public pledges to reduce or remove their emissions. Government policies and financial incentives are also helping to expand the industry.

For example, the U.S. offers a federal tax credit called 45Q, which gives money to companies for every ton of carbon they capture and store. These kinds of policies help make carbon removal projects more affordable and attractive.

Microsoft’s Climate Goals: From Carbon Footprints to Climate Leadership

Microsoft has made one of the most ambitious climate pledges in the tech industry. In 2020, the company promised to be carbon negative by 2030. This means it wants to remove more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits across its entire business—including data centers, offices, and supply chains.

The company also plans to remove all the carbon it has emitted since its founding in 1975 by the year 2050. To reach these goals, Microsoft is using a mix of clean energy, efficiency improvements, and carbon removal projects.

However, Microsoft’s emissions have recently increased, mainly due to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, which require a lot of energy. Between 2020 and 2023, Microsoft’s emissions rose by about 29%. The company says it is still on track to meet its climate goals but acknowledges that more action is needed.

Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy & Carbon Removal at Microsoft, remarked, noting that:

“High-quality, durable carbon removal solutions from experienced developers like Fidelis are vital for Microsoft in progressing its goal to become Carbon Negative by 2030.”

What This Means for the Future of Clean Tech

Microsoft’s partnership with Fidelis and AtmosClear is a major milestone for carbon removal. It shows that large companies are willing to invest in new technologies to address climate change. 

As more companies commit to net-zero and carbon-negative targets, the demand for carbon removal will keep rising. This could help lower costs, improve technology, and create new job opportunities in clean energy.

• SEE MORE: Microsoft and Climate Impact Partners Reveal Biggest Carbon Removal Deal in Asia

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