Carbon Removal & Biodiversity - January 20
Ghana-Singapore Article 6.2 partnership; Cost of carbon capture and storage; Biochar deals-Varaha, Charm Industrial; Origen, MCi Carbon secure funding; Ghana Mangrove restoration project
In this newletter
News from governments - Canada, European Food Safety Authority, European Commission
Startups - eAgronom, Origen, Varaha, Charm Industrial, Mangrove Systems, Climeworks, MCi Carbon, SeaO2, Agreena, CarbonToSea, Carbon Capture and Commercialization, Anew Climate
Publications - ADB, RMI, Netherlands Climate Council,
Research - Seaweed Farming, Cost of Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS)
and some more!
News from Governments
EFSA to Review Ecotoxicology Guidance and Assess Biodiversity Impacts
(January 17)
The European Commission mandated EFSA to review the Guidance Document on Terrestrial Ecotoxicology and to develop guidance for assessing indirect effects on biodiversity. This is relevant to sustainability as it addresses environmental risk assessment and impacts on biodiversity.
European Food Safety Authority
Prioritizing Invasive Plant Management in Europe
(January 15)
Italian scientists developed a new approach to prioritize invasive plant species for management, considering factors like potential distribution, climate scenarios, and expert knowledge. They identified 36 invasive species for EPPO inclusion, recommending eradication for 7 high-threat species, monitoring for 4 widespread species, and control for the remaining 21. The methodology, funded by the NextGenerationEU programme, is replicable across the EU.
Canada Invests in Ogoki Forest Reforestation to Combat Wildfires and Climate Change
(January 15)
The Canadian government invested over $900,000 in Integrity Reforestation for a reforestation project in Ontario’s Ogoki Forest. This will plant 800,000 trees across 450 hectares, restore wildfire-damaged ecosystems, and create over 40 jobs. The project is part of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees program, aimed at combating climate change and restoring habitats.
Canada builds zero-carbon military facility
(January 13)
The Government of Canada has awarded a $98 million contract to Colbourne & Kembel Architects Inc. for a new 8,350 m2 facility at Canadian Forces Base Kingston for the 21 Electronic Warfare Regiment. The facility will be built to meet the Canadian Green Building Council Zero-Carbon Building Performance Standards and include on-site solar power generation. Construction will sustain approximately 150 jobs.
Startups
eAgronom Completes Europe’s Largest Soil Sampling for Carbon Credits
(January 16)
Estonia-based eAgronom completed one of Europe’s largest soil sampling campaigns across 7 countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Czechia and Romania) for future carbon credits under the Verra Standard (VM0042). The initiative ensures accuracy in carbon credit generation and sets a benchmark for large-scale carbon soil sampling. eAgronom plans to expand to Ukraine, Moldova, and Rwanda in early 2025.
Origen Secures $13M for Limestone-Based Carbon Removal
(January 16)
UK and US-based Origen Power Limited secured $13 million in Series A funding to scale its limestone-based direct air capture (DAC) technology. The funding will support commercial projects and research, including a partnership with EERC to capture 1,000 tonnes of CO2 annually and another with Shell and Mitsubishi to remove up to 50,000 tonnes per year.
Google Partners with Varaha and Charm Industrial to Scale Biochar for Carbon Removal
Varaha x Google Biochar Credits Deal
Google has committed to purchase 100,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits from Varaha by 2030 as the catalytic first buyer of biochar credits produced by a Varaha facility in Gujarat, India. Varaha on LinkedIn
Google has also announced a second carbon removal offtake agreement with Charm Industrial for 100,000 tonnes of biochar removals by 2030. This follows an earlier agreement for bio-oil removals. Charm’s technology co-produces biochar and bio-oil from biomass, with bio-oil prioritized for sequestration and potential use as a reducing agent in iron-making.
Microsoft partners with Mangrove Systems for digital MRV of CO2
Mangrove Systems is excited to announce our partnership with Microsoft to enable commercialization of carbon value chains.
Mangrove’s digital measurement, reporting, and verification (dMRV) solution — deployed on Microsoft Azure — enables carbon storage developers to precisely measure, track, and report CO2 across their value chain, enabling commercialization and de-risking serialization and compliance.
We’re looking forward to sharing more information on this partnership and what it means for carbon project developers globally over the coming months.
Thank you to the team at Microsoft Jacob Bang, Kadri Umay, Mary Beckmann, Sverre Brandsberg-Dahl, Jeff Otterstetter, Hema Prapoo, Uwa Airhiavbere, Per Christian Honningsvåg and Miki Usyak for being incredible partners and bringing this collaboration to life.
Climeworks' Quality Framework for High-Quality Carbon Removal
(January 17)
Climeworks has developed a quality framework for carbon removal, integrating established standards from Microsoft, Shopify, and WBCSD. The framework centers on trust, impact, and risk, focusing on measurability, end-to-end carbon accounting, additionality, third-party certification, permanence, social and environmental co-benefits, availability, scalability, and price, while considering storage reversal risk, leakage, and social and environmental risks. The company uses this framework to create comprehensive carbon removal portfolios combining engineered and nature-based solutions.
Agreena achieves Verra validation for large-scale regenerative agriculture project
(January 16)
Agreena, a European company, has achieved Verra validation for its pan-European soil carbon project under Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). This milestone allows Agreena to work with farmers to transform millions of hectares of agricultural fields into carbon sinks, addressing scalability and integrity challenges in the voluntary carbon market. The project introduces a new paradigm for scaling carbon removal globally.
Sequoia’s OAE Field Trials in Halifax Assess Climate Solution Potential
(January 16)
Canada-based Carbon to Sea and COVE, in partnership with Sequoia Scientific, Inc., conducted ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE) field trials in Halifax. Sequoia’s LISST sensors measured particle dispersion and water chemistry to assess OAE’s potential as a climate solution. The project involved collaboration with Dalhousie University and Planetary Technologies.
Austria-Australia CCUpScale Project: First CCU Plant for Refractory Industry
(January 16)
Austria and Australia are collaborating on the CCUpScale project. The project, which received AUD $3.29 million in funding, aims to develop MCi Carbon’s mineral carbonation technology and build the world’s first CCU plant in the refractory industry in Hochfilzen, Austria by 2028, capturing and utilizing 50,000 tons of CO2 annually.
Compact Carbon Capture: A Cost-Effective Solution
(January 15)
Florida-based CC&C has developed compact carbon capture systems using CaptureX beads, aiming for CO2 capture at under $100 per metric ton. The systems are designed for urban and industrial deployment, offering scalability and energy efficiency (95% more efficient than legacy systems).
Carbon Capture & Commercialization
Anew Climate Expands into German Biomethane Market
(January 15)
US-based Anew Climate, LLC has expanded its European business by entering Germany's biomethane market. The company will provide biomethane and carbon removal services to the transportation and industrial sectors. Anew Climate has offices in Munich, Budapest, and Madrid and is majority-owned by TPG Rise.
SeaO₂ partners with Transavia for ocean carbon removal
(January 14)
SeaO₂ partnered with Transavia Ventures, an investment fund focused on sustainable technologies. Transavia Ventures' investment will help SeaO₂ scale its ocean-based carbon removal technology, aiming to expand its global impact and explore ways to support sustainable aviation, including using carbon capture credits and contributing to sustainable aviation fuels (e-SAFs).
Publications
Aligning Carbon Taxes and Fuel Subsidies for Climate Goals
(January 20)
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) published a brief on carbon taxes and fossil fuel subsidies, highlighting the need to align these policies to meet climate goals in Asia and the Pacific. The ADB also developed a Carbon Pricing and Fossil Fuel Subsidy Rationalization Tool Kit to help policymakers navigate this process. The IMF estimates that raising fuel prices to efficient levels would reduce CO2 emissions by 43% below baseline 2030 levels. Full fossil fuel price reform in emerging and developing economies could generate $3 trillion to finance Sustainable Development Goals.
Decarbonizing the US Chemical Industry: Pathways and Challenges
(January 17)
US-based Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) published a report, "Chemistry in Transition", analyzing emissions reduction levers for the US chemical industry. The report identifies 20+ levers, with 10 commercially viable, potentially reducing emissions by 34% with policy and infrastructure improvements. Additional reductions of 14% are possible with further policy support, reaching almost 50% reduction. The report emphasizes the need for infrastructure development (renewable energy, CO2 transport, recycling), policy support (incentives, differentiated markets), and innovation (electrification, catalysis).
Netherlands Climate Council Recommends CO2 Removal Policies
(January 15)
The Netherlands Scientific Climate Council published the report “De Lucht Klaren?”, recommending policy for CO2 removal from the atmosphere. The report emphasizes the need for immediate action and an active government role in achieving permanent CO2 removal, promoting permanent methods and a national purchasing program.
Verra Publishes VCS Program Version 5 Consultation Responses
(January 16)
Verra published responses to the first public consultation on proposed updates to its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. The consultation, which ran from September 19 through November 4, 2024, gathered 1,943 comments from 61 stakeholders. Verra aims to develop a VCS Program that reflects scientific integrity, strengthens safeguards, improves user experience, and aligns with other carbon market initiatives.
Research
Seaweed Farming: A Blue Carbon Strategy
(January 17)
Global seaweed farms have shown increased carbon burial in underlying sediments with farm age, reaching up to 140 tC ha−1. The average organic carbon burial rate was 1.87 ± 0.73 tCO2e ha−1 yr−1, double that of reference sediments. This confirms that seaweed farming buries carbon at rates comparable to some Blue Carbon habitats.
CO2 Rise Exceeds IPCC 1.5C Pathways
(January 17)
The Met Office reported that the rate of atmospheric CO2 increase surpasses IPCC pathways limiting warming to 1.5C. The 2023-2024 rise was the fastest on record (3.58 ppm/year at Mauna Loa), exceeding even the Met Office's El Niño-influenced forecast. Weaker land carbon sinks, partly due to high temperatures and severe fires, contributed significantly. The increase continues despite record-high global CO2 emissions in 2024.
GEOMAR, Ifremer, and NOC Strengthen Ocean Protection Collaboration
(January 16)
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the French Institute for Ocean Science (Ifremer), and the British National Oceanography Centre Southampton (NOC) strengthened their collaboration on sustainable ocean observation, sensor technologies, research vessels, and other research infrastructures. The partnership aims to improve long-term data collection for ocean protection, addressing data gaps in regions like the West African upwelling area.
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
CDP Corporate Health Check: Executive Pay Tied to Climate Goals
(January 14)
The CDP Corporate Health Check report, a collaboration between CDP, the World Economic Forum, and Oliver Wyman, assessed 2024 corporate disclosures covering 67% of global market capitalization. The report found that 80% of companies on track to meet climate targets link executive pay to achieving those goals. Only 10% showed meaningful ambition across all key environmental areas, and just 1% reached the highest level of assessment. Key levers for success included climate transition plans, carbon pricing, and supplier engagement.
CDP rebrands for Earth-Positive Future
(January 13)
CDP, a global non-profit, rebranded to focus on transparency to catalyze climate and nature action. They provide environmental disclosure data used by over 700 investors and 330 supply chain members. Companies have identified over $16 trillion in climate and nature-related opportunities through CDP’s platform.
Reviving Ghana's Mangroves: ReDAW Project
(January 14)
Ghana: The Regenerative Development of Anlo Wetlands (ReDAW) project is reviving the Keta Lagoon’s mangroves, with local communities, bringing environmental and economic benefits and global climate impact. The Verra-certified blue carbon initiative is restoring biodiversity in the Keta Lagoon.
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