• Google commits to buying 50,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from Brazil’s Mombak by 2030.
• This move marks Google’s first foray into nature-based carbon projects in South America.
• The deal underscores growing corporate interest in combating climate change through carbon offset markets.

Google has made a significant step toward its sustainability goals by purchasing carbon removal credits from Brazilian startup Mombak, marking its first engagement with nature-based carbon projects in South America. The deal aligns Google with other tech giants like Microsoft in supporting the restoration of degraded land in the Amazon rainforest.

By 2030, Google will buy 50,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from Mombak, a startup dedicated to purchasing degraded land and working with local farmers to replant native species in the Amazon. This move follows Microsoft’s 2022 agreement to buy up to 1.5 million credits from the same startup.

While financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, Mombak previously sold credits to McLaren Racing in 2023 at an average price of over $50 per ton. “The vote of confidence for us and this sector in general that comes from Google stepping into this is a really positive signal,“ said Mombak’s Chief Technology Officer Dan Harburg, expressing hope that this collaboration will inspire more partnerships.

Google’s purchase comes amid increasing corporate efforts to address climate change, especially as companies and governments gather for New York’s annual Climate Week. Earlier in the week, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced its agreement to buy up to 3.9 million carbon offset credits from BTG Pactual’s forestry division.

Related Article: Google Announces Record-Low Carbon Removal Deal with Holocene at $100 per Ton

Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Salesforce co-founded the Symbiosis Coalition, a collective that has pledged to contract up to 20 million tons of nature-based carbon removal credits by 2030. This move showcases their commitment to offsetting emissions and reaching corporate climate targets.

While carbon offsets are seen as a valuable tool in reducing emissions, critics argue that they allow companies to continue emitting greenhouse gases without making meaningful reductions in their operations. Greenpeace remains vocal in criticizing these markets, saying they fail to address the root causes of climate change.