Google to buy carbon credits from massive Amazonian reforestation project

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🗞️ Driving the news: Google has committed to buying 200,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from Mombak, a Brazilian forest restoration company
• This project, part of the Symbiosis Coalition, will focus on reforesting farmland in the Amazon, aiming to offset carbon emissions while supporting biodiversity and ecosystem health

🔭 The context: The Symbiosis Coalition, backed by major corporations including Google, McKinsey, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce, is an initiative designed to develop markets for nature-based carbon removal schemes
• These projects, while promising, face challenges like vulnerability to wildfires and ensuring long-term success
• Google is leveraging its DeepMind AI to quantify the biodiversity benefits of the project

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Nature-based solutions, like reforestation, offer significant climate and environmental benefits beyond carbon removal
• Forests help replenish water supplies, support biodiversity, and stabilize ecosystems
• However, the long-term viability of these projects remains uncertain, highlighting the need for reliable monitoring and robust support systems

⏭️ What's next: As the Symbiosis Coalition continues to expand, more companies are likely to invest in nature-based solutions to offset their emissions
• This could accelerate the development of large-scale reforestation and other land-use projects, pushing the market for carbon removal forward

💬 One quote: "Forests can replenish aquifers and support biodiversity, neither of which direct air capture can do." — Google

📈 One stat: Google’s purchase of 200,000 metric tons of carbon removal from Mombak marks a significant commitment to nature-based carbon offsetting projects

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Google and its peers Microsoft and Apple

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