Meta has announced a pledge to contract at least $35 million for carbon removal projects next year. The move is part of Meta’s goal to reach net-zero by 2030.
The pledge comes as a response to the Voluntary Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchasing Challenge announced by the US Department of Energy (DOE) earlier this year. The challenge invites organisations to accelerate carbon removal development by purchasing high-quality offsets.
The $35 million pledge aligns with the commitment made by the Department of Energy (DOE) through its Carbon Dioxide Removal Purchase Pilot Prize and positions Meta as the second major industry player to join the initiative, following Google’s similar $35 million commitment made in March for carbon removal efforts.
Also read: Meta Secures Up to 3.9 Million Carbon Offset Credits in Major Deal with BTG PactualÂ
With its extensive global operations, Meta is taking significant steps to mitigate the CO2 emissions associated with its energy consumption.
The company has identified carbon removal as a key strategy to tackle emissions across its value chain as part of its broader decarbonization goals.
As part of its environmental strategy, Meta aims to reduce emissions from its corporate operations while also pursuing carbon removal solutions to offset those emissions that cannot be completely eliminated.
This dual approach underscores the company’s commitment to sustainability and its proactive stance in addressing climate change challenges.
To address hard-to-abate emissions, Meta is investing in high-quality, nature-based carbon removal projects alongside initiatives focused on technological CO2 removal.
Also read: Sage Geosystems and Meta Announce Agreement for Next Generation Geothermal DevelopmentÂ
As part of this strategy, in September 2024, Meta formed a partnership with BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group, committing to purchase up to 3.9 million carbon removal credits by 2038.
Additionally, Meta is a member of the Symbiosis Coalition, a collaborative effort established with Google, Microsoft, and Salesforce to support high-quality nature-based carbon removal credits.
Through this initiative, these industry leaders are working together to stimulate demand for credits generated from nature restoration projects.