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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on ESG News or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Microsoft (see sustainabilit performance) has purchased 60,000 soil carbon credits from Indigo Ag — its largest such transaction to date — bringing its total soil-based credits from the company to 100,000
• The credits were issued by the Climate Action Reserve as part of Indigo’s fourth and largest carbon issuance
• The deal reflects Microsoft’s continued investment in diversified carbon removal solutions and supports regenerative farming practices across the United States
🔭 The context: Indigo Ag incentivizes U.S. farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices by linking credit revenues directly to growers, with 75% of proceeds going back to them
• This model is backed by rigorous monitoring and verification systems and aligns with emerging standards in voluntary carbon markets
• Microsoft has committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030 and is actively building a diverse portfolio of carbon removal projects, including nature-based and technological solutions
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Soil carbon credits are gaining traction as a viable nature-based solution for long-term carbon sequestration
• This transaction signals growing corporate confidence in the scalability and credibility of soil-based removals
• It also reinforces regenerative agriculture as a dual-benefit approach that improves soil health while mitigating climate change — an increasingly attractive model for climate finance
⏭️ What's next: Microsoft is expected to continue expanding its carbon removal portfolio as part of its broader sustainability commitments
• This move may influence other large buyers to invest in verified, nature-based solutions
• Indigo Ag plans to scale its program further, potentially unlocking more revenue streams for farmers and strengthening the role of agricultural landscapes in climate mitigation efforts
💬 One quote: “This effort contributes to measurable climate impact and also supports soil and water health.” — Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy and Carbon Removal at Microsoft
📈 One stat: Indigo Ag reports that nearly 1 million tonnes of carbon impact have been generated through its regenerative farming incentive program to date
See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of Microsoft and its peers Amazon, and Meta
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