Microsoft paid for 350,000 tonnes of carbon removal in Kenyan forest

Rob Lee emphasized the critical role of carbon removals in achieving targets outlined

Microsoft has agreed with climate finance firm Catona to procure 350,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits from an agroforestry initiative situated in the Lake Victoria Watershed in Homa Bay, Kenya. Over the course of six years, this project, managed by Trees for the Future, a 30-year-old agroforestry organization headquartered in Maryland, USA, aims to deliver the specified carbon credits. Agroforestry, a land management approach involving the cultivation of trees or shrubs alongside crops or pastureland, is central to this endeavor. The Lake Victoria project collaborates with 15,000 local smallholders to establish "forest gardens" on their properties. These gardens feature a diverse array of trees, shrubs, and crops, yielding produce without the need for fertilizers or pesticides while promoting soil conservation and forest preservation.
Microsoft's involvement in this initiative reflects its ongoing efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, having previously engaged in various carbon removal projects worldwide. Recent endeavors include a partnership with Switzerland-based Neustark to sequester 27,600 tons of carbon dioxide in waste concrete. Past initiatives encompass reforestation efforts in the US, biochar projects in Bolivia and Virginia, as well as carbon capture technologies such as Climeworks' direct air capture in Iceland and Carbon Capture in Wyoming. Tim McLellan, CEO of Trees for the Future, expressed gratitude for Catona's pivotal role in facilitating and funding the community-driven Lake Victoria project, welcoming Microsoft's participation as a climate steward.