Google and McKinsey have agreed to purchase 320,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits over 10 years from a silvopasture project in Brazil developed by Working Trees. The project combines cattle grazing with tree cultivation, linking corporate carbon removal purchases to agricultural land management across parts of the Amazon and Cerrado regions.
Key Takeaways
- The agreement covers 320,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits over 10 years.
- Working Trees is developing the project through silvopasture, which integrates trees with livestock grazing.
- The project’s initial phase covers 8,700 hectares of land in Brazil.
- The broader planned project covers 50,000 hectares across the Amazon and Cerrado regions.
- Google and McKinsey are the corporate buyers named in the agreement.
Google and McKinsey Agree to a 10-Year Carbon Removal Purchase
The Google carbon removal agreement covers purchases linked to a Brazilian land-management project developed by Working Trees. The arrangement establishes a 10-year purchasing commitment for 320,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits.
The project combines livestock production with tree cultivation rather than using land exclusively for conventional forestry. The approach allows cattle grazing and tree growth to form part of the same agricultural system.
Carbon removal credits are associated with activities intended to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store the carbon. Their environmental value depends on the removals delivered and the methods used to measure and verify those outcomes.
For corporate buyers, documenting environmental claims is a separate part of managing sustainability commitments. Companies assessing their reporting practices can refer to guidance on corporate sustainability reporting compliance, which covers the collection and disclosure of environmental data.
The agreement connects the corporate buyers to a specific land-based project in Brazil, with Working Trees responsible for developing the associated activities.
Working Trees Develops a Silvopasture Project in Brazil
Working Trees is developing the project using silvopasture, an agricultural land-management method that combines trees and livestock grazing. The approach integrates tree cultivation into land used for cattle production.
The project covers planned activities in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado regions. Its agricultural focus distinguishes it from projects based solely on planting trees or restoring forest cover.
For Google and McKinsey, the credits are linked to carbon removal activities carried out through the project. The amount of carbon removed will depend on project performance and the methods used to account for the resulting removals.
Initial Project Phase Covers 8,700 Hectares
The initial phase of the Working Trees project covers 8,700 hectares, forming part of a broader plan involving 50,000 hectares in Brazil.
The two figures describe different stages of the project’s intended scale. The initial area represents the first phase, while the larger figure covers the planned development across additional land.
The project integrates trees with livestock grazing rather than treating agricultural production and tree cultivation as separate activities. Its implementation therefore involves managing both components within the designated areas.
The land area and contracted carbon removal volume measure different aspects of the agreement. The 50,000-hectare plan describes the project’s intended physical scope, while the 320,000 metric tons represents the volume of carbon removal credits covered by the purchasing commitment.
The amount of carbon dioxide removed cannot be established from acreage alone. Tree growth, carbon storage and the methods used to measure and verify removals affect the environmental results attributed to a project.
Expansion Plans Extend Across the Amazon and Cerrado
The broader project plan covers areas across Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado regions, extending the proposed silvopasture activities beyond the initial phase.
The Amazon and Cerrado are distinct regions with different environmental conditions. Implementing a land-management project across both requires activities suited to the locations involved, including the integration of trees with existing livestock operations.
The planned expansion covers 50,000 hectares, compared with the 8,700 hectares identified for the initial phase. The larger figure represents the intended project area rather than confirmation that all the land has already been developed.
The project’s connection to the Amazon and Cerrado makes land management central to its execution. The carbon removal credits depend on the environmental results associated with the underlying activities, rather than acreage alone.
Corporate environmental purchasing commitments can also involve renewable electricity rather than carbon removal credits. Microsoft’s long-term renewable energy purchasing strategy provides a separate example of a company using energy procurement agreements to support its sustainability objectives while expanding its technology operations.
The two approaches involve different environmental activities: renewable energy purchases support electricity sourcing, while carbon removal credits are tied to projects intended to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Corporate Carbon Removal Commitments Depend on Project Delivery
The agreement connects corporate credit purchases with the performance of the project supplying those credits. Google and McKinsey have committed to purchasing a defined volume over a decade, while Working Trees is developing the associated land-management initiative.
Carbon removal projects must distinguish planned activity from completed environmental results. Establishing a project area or planting trees does not, by itself, determine the amount of carbon dioxide removed and stored.
Project delivery involves implementing the land-management activities and measuring the resulting carbon removals. Verification helps purchasers establish whether credits correspond to the environmental outcomes they represent.
The agreement’s 10-year duration places the purchases within a defined period. The contracted volume provides a quantitative target for the credit purchases, but it does not independently establish the timing of individual deliveries or the amount removed in any particular year.
The agreement identifies the buyers, developer, project approach, land area and total contracted volume. Actual environmental performance depends on project delivery and the evidence supporting the associated removals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many carbon removal credits will Google and McKinsey purchase?
The agreement covers 320,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits. The credits are associated with the silvopasture project developed by Working Trees in Brazil.
How long does the Google and McKinsey carbon removal agreement last?
The purchasing commitment covers a 10-year period. The agreement links the buyers to a defined volume of carbon removal credits over that period.
What is silvopasture, and how does it work?
Silvopasture combines tree cultivation with livestock grazing on the same agricultural land. It integrates trees into land used for cattle production rather than separating forestry and grazing activities.
Where is the Working Trees carbon removal project located?
The project is in Brazil, with the broader planned development extending across the Amazon and Cerrado regions.
How much land is included in the project’s planned expansion?
The initial phase covers 8,700 hectares, while the broader plan covers 50,000 hectares. The larger figure represents the intended project area.
