• High-Integrity Carbon Credits: Microsoft’s purchase of 1.4 million tonnes of carbon removal supports Living Carbon’s verified, science-backed reforestation on 25,000 acres of degraded Appalachian mine land.
• Restorative Economic & Ecological Impact: The project addresses systemic soil and water degradation while revitalizing underserved rural communities.
• Scalable Climate Solution: Living Carbon’s model targets millions of degraded U.S. acres, turning ecological liabilities into long-term climate assets.

Microsoft is backing a major U.S. nature-based carbon removal initiative, agreeing to purchase 1.4 million tonnes of carbon removal credits from Living Carbon, a public benefit company specializing in transforming degraded land into environmental assets.

The credits stem from a 25,000-acre reforestation project across former coal mine lands in the broader Appalachian region—land that has remained ecologically and economically dormant for decades.

“Restoring degraded mine lands offers one of the most scalable and meaningful opportunities for nature-based climate action in the United States,” said Maddie Hall, CEO and Co-founder of Living Carbon. “We’re proud to be working with Microsoft to advance high-quality reforestation… not only for carbon removal, but also for restoring ecosystems and supporting the return of these lands to productivity.”

Living Carbon’s approach includes active soil rehabilitation and the planting of native tree species—strategies necessary for regions suffering from toxic metals, poor soil quality, erosion, and invasive species, all common legacies of coal mining. The projects generate co-benefits beyond carbon, including improved water retention, enhanced biodiversity, and new economic prospects in historically underserved rural areas.

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“Living Carbon’s work… represents a meaningful and measurable approach to nature-based carbon removal,” said Brian Marrs, Senior Director for Energy & Carbon Removal at Microsoft. “We are pleased to support this project as part of Microsoft’s broader portfolio of high-quality carbon removal solutions.”

Verification of all carbon credits will be conducted by Isometric, using its Reforestation Protocol—an industry-leading framework that integrates tech-enabled quantification, dynamic baselines, and lifecycle assessments to ensure scientific integrity.

“This agreement shows the growing demand for scientifically rigorous, technology-enabled verification in reforestation,” said Lukas May OBE, Chief Commercial Officer at Isometric. “We look forward to working with Microsoft and Living Carbon… to help carbon removal scale, responsibly and fast, to the level the planet needs.”

Living Carbon’s scalable model is built to extend across millions of acres of degraded U.S. land—positioning it as a crucial player in linking climate mitigation, biodiversity recovery, and rural revitalization.

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