- Microsoft will purchase more than 28,500 tonnes of durable carbon removal from InPlanet between 2026 and 2028, expanding its engineered removals portfolio in the Global South.
- The agreement links carbon removal with regenerative agriculture, improving soil fertility and reducing fertilizer and limestone use across Brazilian farmland.
- All credits will be independently verified under Isometric’s Enhanced Weathering Protocol and listed on a public registry, strengthening market confidence in ERW integrity.
Microsoft has signed an agreement with InPlanet to remove more than 28,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide between 2026 and 2028 using enhanced rock weathering, deepening its exposure to engineered carbon removal in tropical agricultural systems.
The deal positions Brazil’s farmland as a frontline testing ground for enhanced rock weathering, or ERW, an emerging carbon removal pathway that applies finely crushed silicate rock to soils. As the minerals weather, they chemically bind atmospheric CO₂ while delivering co benefits for soil health and crop productivity. For Microsoft, which has committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030, the agreement extends a growing portfolio of long duration carbon removal solutions beyond temperate geographies.
Tropical Agriculture as a Carbon Removal Asset
Enhanced rock weathering has drawn increasing attention as corporates and investors look for scalable, high durability removal pathways that can complement direct air capture and bio based solutions. InPlanet’s work focuses on tropical agriculture, where higher temperatures and rainfall accelerate silicate weathering compared with many temperate regions.
Brazil’s climate and vast agricultural footprint offer conditions that can materially increase removal efficiency. InPlanet currently operates the largest ERW program in the country by total farmland treated, covering more than 12,000 hectares, roughly equivalent to the area of San Francisco. The company argues that this scale is essential for generating robust datasets and validating performance under real world conditions.
Beyond carbon accounting, InPlanet reports that ERW-treated fields have demonstrated measurable agronomic benefits over the past 24 months, including improved soil fertility, lower fertilizer demand, and reduced limestone application. These outcomes matter in a country where input costs, soil degradation, and climate volatility are increasingly shaping farm economics.
Measurement, Monitoring, and Market Trust
For corporate buyers, credibility remains the central challenge in engineered removals. InPlanet previously delivered what it describes as the world’s first independently verified ERW credits, and all credits under the Microsoft agreement will be issued under Isometric’s Enhanced Weathering Protocol. Each credit will be publicly listed on the Isometric Registry, with anonymized project data shared through Cascade Climate’s ERW Data Quarry to support broader scientific scrutiny.
Felix Harteneck, Founder and CEO of InPlanet, said the agreement allows the company to deepen its research while raising standards for transparency and verification.
“As part of this agreement with Microsoft, we can deepen our scientific research and further validate Enhanced Rock Weathering under real-world conditions,” Harteneck said. “Our team is monitoring every aspect, from soil chemistry to local water systems, to ensure each tonne of CO₂ is rigorously accounted for. The insights we gain from these deployments will improve our measurement and verification methods, setting an even higher bar for transparency in carbon removal. Ultimately, this is about building trust: we want every stakeholder to know that each credit we deliver is grounded in solid science and delivers permanent climate benefits.”
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Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Strategy
For Microsoft, the deal fits into a broader strategy that prioritizes durability, verifiability, and learning by doing. The company has been one of the most active buyers in the carbon removal market, using long term offtake agreements to help bring emerging technologies down the cost curve.
Phillip Goodman, Director of Carbon Removal Portfolio at Microsoft, emphasized the dual climate and agricultural value of ERW.
“InPlanet’s commitment to measurement and monitoring bolster the integrity of their enhanced rock weathering carbon removal credits, which will contribute to Microsoft’s goal to be carbon negative by 2030,” Goodman said. “Their project illustrates how applying silicate rock to soils can offer benefits for farmers by improving soil health and supporting productivity. Enhanced rock weathering is a promising pathway to high-impact carbon removal, and we are encouraged by its potential to contribute to durable, positive climate outcomes.”
Broader Implications for Climate and Food Systems
The agreement highlights a growing convergence between carbon markets and regenerative agriculture. By channeling capital into ERW projects, Microsoft is supporting agricultural communities in Brazil while advancing a removal pathway that could play a meaningful role in global net zero strategies.
Improved soil quality, higher productivity, and reduced reliance on chemical inputs align closely with food security and climate adaptation priorities in emerging markets. For policymakers and investors, the deal reinforces the idea that engineered carbon removal does not need to be decoupled from land use or rural development.
As scrutiny of carbon credits intensifies, the success of this partnership will likely be judged not only on tonnes removed, but on whether ERW can consistently deliver durable climate outcomes alongside tangible benefits for farmers. In that sense, Brazil’s fields may become an important proving ground for the next phase of the carbon removal economy.
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