Microsoft Strikes Major Carbon Removal Deal with Indian Startup Varaha

In a significant move for the global carbon removal market, Microsoft has signed a multi-year agreement with India-based climate tech firm Varaha. The deal secures over 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide removal credits for the tech giant, to be delivered across the next three years.

This partnership represents a notable expansion of Microsoft's carbon removal portfolio into South Asia. Varaha specializes in working with smallholder farmers across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan to implement regenerative agricultural practices that sequester carbon in soil. Their approach measures and verifies the carbon captured through these improved farming techniques, generating the credits corporations use to offset their emissions.

For Varaha, founded in 2022, the contract with one of the world's largest corporate buyers of carbon removal provides substantial validation and scale. The company will use the investment to expand its on-ground operations, directly supporting more farmers in adopting climate-friendly methods.

Microsoft has been aggressively procuring carbon removal credits as part of its ambitious goal to become carbon negative by 2030. While many of its previous purchases have focused on high-tech solutions or North American projects, this deal highlights a strategic investment in nature-based solutions within a key developing region. It underscores a growing corporate recognition that effective climate action requires a diverse array of solutions deployed worldwide.

Source: TechCrunch