Microsoft confirmed in a statement today that its carbon removal program will continue to form part of its strategy to achieve its climate goals, while it “may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement,” countering speculation that the tech giant was halting the program.

In the statement provided to ESG Today, Microsoft Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said:

“Our carbon removal program has not ended, we continue to both build on and support our existing portfolio of both nature-based and technology-based solutions.”

The statement follows media reports over the weekend indicating that Microsoft has told carbon credit suppliers that it is pausing its carbon removal purchases. Such a move could have significant implications on the carbon removal market, which has been driven largely by purchase activity by Microsoft in recent years.

Microsoft is by far the largest buyer of carbon removal credits globally, representing approximately 90% of the market in 2025, according to carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) platform CDR.fyi. The company’s carbon removal program forms part of the company’s climate commitments to become carbon negative by 2030, removing more carbon than it emits, and to remove the amount of carbon it has historically emitted by 2050.

While the company has said that it takes a “reduction-first” approach to reaching its goals, it utilizes carbon removal to address residual and historical emissions that cannot be mitigated through reduction. The company recently revealed that it signed agreements to remove a record 45 million metric tonnes of CO2 in 2025, doubling the volume contracted by the company in 2024. By comparison, CDR.fyi lists the Frontier Buyers coalition as the second largest purchaser at approximately 1.8 million tonnes to date.

Beyond purchasing credits, Microsoft has supported the development of the carbon removal market, through initiatives including working directly with carbon removal suppliers in the early stages of their projects, before they are listed on carbon credit registries, and signing contracts after conducting its own extensive due diligence with carbon removal project developers to invest and help with development.

The company has also supported improved market integrity through the development of its own Criteria for High-Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal, with potential suppliers required to submit comprehensive documentation, including strategies for design and implementation, methodologies, and validation processes. Microsoft has also participated in innovative financing transactions to help develop new funding models to scale carbon removal projects.

In the statement, Nakagawa added:

“Our decarbonization approach combines reduction, removal, and efficiency, and carbon removal is one piece of that equation. At times we may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement as we continue to refine our approach toward sustainability goals. Any adjustments we make are part of our disciplined approach- not a change in ambition.”