Microsoft has struck a major deal to secure 18 million carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits, continuing its aggressive push to meet its 2030 carbon-negative target. The agreement, announced on 15 May, underscores Microsoft's leadership in the voluntary carbon market and signals growing investor confidence in long-term carbon removal projects.
The Delta Blue project, backed by Rubicon Carbon, is restoring 225,000 hectares of mangroves in Pakistan’s Indus River Delta. AI generated picture.
The multi-year framework agreement positions Rubicon Carbon, a US-based carbon credit management firm, to act as Microsoft's global intermediary for sourcing credits from afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation (ARR) projects. These credits will be delivered under offtake agreements lasting between 15 and 20 years.
As part of the partnership, Rubicon has developed a bespoke evaluation framework in collaboration with Microsoft to align with the tech giant’s quality standards and scientific criteria. ‘Through this collaboration, Rubicon Carbon has developed an evaluation framework with Microsoft that reflects Microsoft's science and quality criteria while building upon Rubicon Carbon's rigorous standards for carbon removal credit integrity’, the company said.
Rubicon will also lead project selection and due diligence efforts to ensure that each ARR initiative meets both environmental and investment-grade benchmarks. ‘This collaboration serves as a blueprint for how the financial sector can meet the urgency of the moment while also generating strong financial returns’, said Tom Montag, CEO of Rubicon Carbon.
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Brian Marrs, senior director of energy and carbon removal at Microsoft, echoed that sentiment. ‘We believe that project finance needs to be central to the voluntary carbon market, and this deal signals the long-term demand for carbon removal necessary to mobilise infrastructure-grade investment and world-class execution.’
This deal adds to Microsoft's record-setting pace in carbon removals. In the first quarter alone, it was responsible for 12 of the 17 million advanced CDR commitments globally.
The Rubicon agreement follows other notable Microsoft moves in this space. The company recently signed a deal with EFM for up to 3 million CDR credits and has secured major commitments with Living Carbon and AtmosClear, totalling over 8 million credits combined.
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At DGB Group, we are shaping the future of the nature-based solutions landscape through large-scale projects that restore ecosystems and generate high-integrity carbon units. As Microsoft’s 18-million-credit agreement demonstrates, demand is accelerating for long-term, high-quality removal solutions like afforestation and reforestation. With leading corporates committing to multi-decade offtakes and the market shifting toward integrity-driven supply, now is the time to position your business at the forefront of this transformation. Discover how you can be part of the solution.
