Microsoft Purchases Nearly 1 Million Tons of Nature-based Carbon Removal Credits from Anew
Microsoft and climate solutions provider Anew Climate announced today a new nature-based carbon removal purchase agreement, with Anew delivering more than 970,000 tons of carbon removal credits generated from improved forest management projects across the U.S.
Founded in 2001, and majority-owned by alternative asset manager TPG’s impact investing platform TPG Rise, Texas-based Anew provides climate solutions aimed at helping companies to reduce their carbon footprints and help restore the environment, including technological and nature-based solutions, and marketing of environmental credits for low carbon fuel, carbon, renewable energy, and emissions markets.
The carbon credits under the new agreement will be derived from improved forest management (IFM) projects across forestlands owned by Aurora Sustainable Lands, Acadian Timber Corp., and Baskahegan Company. IFM projects provide benefits including avoidance of overall net carbon emissions as well as the removal of carbon from the atmosphere, with the Anew projects creating registry-distinguished carbon removal credits generated from tree growth from within its forestry portfolio.
Lizzie Aldrich, Anew Climate Vice President of Business Development, said:
“Anew is proud to be part of Microsoft’s sustainability journey. Microsoft is a shining example among climate-conscious companies and known for its rigorous due diligence and focus on quality. At Anew, we are leading the way to help companies and landowners achieve meaningful, positive change for the climate.”
The agreement marks the latest in a rapidly growing series of carbon removal deals for Microsoft, forming part of the tech giant’s initiative to become carbon negative by 2030, including several large-scale nature-based carbon removal agreements, such as a 3 million ton reforestation-based deal with climate solutions provider re.green in May. Microsoft, alongside tech giant peers Google, Meta, and Salesforce, also recently launched a 20-million ton advance market commitment (AMC) collaboration aimed at supporting the development and growth of the nature-based carbon removal market.
Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy and Carbon Removal at Microsoft, said
“Carbon removal credits provide a financial incentive for traditional institutional landowners and managers to shift to sustainable forestry and land management practices. We are pleased to collaborate with Anew Climate to help increase the carbon stocks of forests across the United States.”