In January 2020, Microsoft announced that it would be carbon negative by 2030, ultimately removing all historic emissions since the company’s launch in 1975. We are delighted to share that to fulfill its climate targets for fiscal year 2021 and again for 2022 Microsoft chose to procure CORCs (CO2 Removal Certificates) issued with the Puro Standard biochar methodology.

The Puro Standard consists of high-quality carbon removal methodologies with stringent carbon accounting, social and environmental safeguard requirements, and third-party verification of the project operations. Each CORC represents one ton of carbon removed from the atmosphere.

The selected projects are Carbofex (Finland), Carbon Cycle (Germany), ACT Commodities/Freres Lumber (US) and ECHO2 (Australia).

This renewed procurement highlights that several challenges to scaling voluntary carbon removal markets are being resolved:

- Limited supply: renewed procurement gives projects access to capital to expand operations and grow their high-quality carbon removal.

- Demand signals for new entrants: purchases from high-profile corporations who conduct a thorough due diligence process lead as a role model to industry peers to start their own procurement and signal potential suppliers to enter the market.

- Clarity and integrity in carbon removal accounting: trust in robust methodologies, such as the Puro Standard, that differentiate between carbon removal from the atmosphere and the avoidance of carbon emissions and verify the durability of the storage of the removed CO2, is essential to create fast market growth.

“Puro.earth projects are an important contributor to our carbon removal efforts. We are looking forward to helping further scale the market with this purchase," said Elizabeth Willmott, Microsoft carbon program director.

Antti Vihavainen, CEO of Puro.earth, expressed, “We appreciate the leadership of Microsoft in showing the way forward for scaling carbon removal, and are delighted to continue our collaboration for a second year. As Puro.earth integrates different parts of the voluntary carbon market we have the possibility to make it more efficient for corporates to purchase verified CORCs and achieve ambitious ESG and Net Zero goals.”

Are you ready to include science-based carbon removal in your climate actions? Welcome to learn more about our Carbon Removal Suppliers and don't hesitate to book a meeting or contact us.