Microsoft expands climate portfolio with 60,000 soil carbon credits from Indigo Ag

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

Click for more news covering the latest on carbon market