A modern corporate decarbonisation strategy combines internal emissions reductions with carefully structured corporate carbon portfolio design. By integrating high-integrity nature-based credits, companies can manage residual emissions while strengthening ecosystem services, enhancing corporate sustainability reporting, and reinforcing long-term credibility.
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Carbon Footprint
Amazon Expands Its Carbon Credit Strategy with Lower-Carbon Fuel and Superpollutant Solutions
Amazon is expanding the types of carbon credits available to companies through its Sustainability Exchange, helping businesses lower emissions across their operations and supply chains. The e-commerce giant now offers lower-carbon fuel (LCF) inset credits and superpollutant refrigerant destruction credits, giving companies more tools to take meaningful climate action.
The Sustainability Exchange: A Hub for Climate Action
Amazon launched the Sustainability Exchange in 2024 to provide resources, playbooks, and guidance for companies aiming to meet net-zero goals. It shares knowledge on measuring emissions, transitioning to clean energy, decarbonizing operations, and purchasing high-quality carbon credits.
Since its launch, the Exchange has expanded its offerings to support companies at every stage of their climate journey, especially those within Amazon’s supply chain. However, these credits are available only to companies with net-zero targets across Scope 1, 2, and 3, who measure and report emissions regularly and commit to implementing decarbonization strategies aligned with climate science.
The platform now includes a wider variety of carbon credits, making it easier for companies to take action beyond their own facilities.

Lower-Carbon Fuel (LCF) Inset Credits: Decarbonizing Transportation the Smart Way
Transportation is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonize. Long-haul trucking, aviation, and maritime shipping often rely on heavy payloads and lack sufficient electrification infrastructure. Thus, lower-carbon fuels provide a practical path to reduce emissions while using existing infrastructure.
How They Work
LCF inset credits help companies support the production of cleaner fuels such as renewable diesel, biodiesel, and sustainable aviation fuel, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65–80% compared with conventional fossil fuels.
These credits, a type of Environmental Attribute Certificate (EAC), allow companies to claim emission reductions by investing in cleaner fuel production even if they cannot directly use the fuels themselves. For instance, a company operating diesel trucks can purchase renewable diesel inset credits to support cleaner fuel production and receive recognition for the equivalent emissions reductions, enabling transportation decarbonization without changing existing operations.
Amazon’s Approach
Amazon prioritizes efficiency and electrification first, then uses LCFs where access is limited. The company tracks the full life cycle of fuels—from feedstock production to final use—using third-party verification and globally recognized methodologies. Waste-based feedstocks, like used cooking oil and agricultural byproducts, are prioritized for their high emission reduction potential and support for circular economies.
The Advanced and Indirect Mitigation (AIM) Platform helps companies account for and report on insets across sectors. Amazon’s methodology aligns with cross-industry standards while adapting to specific sectors, ensuring that results are accurate and verifiable.
Notably, Crane Worldwide Logistics is one company using Amazon’s LCF credits. Sustainability Director Carlos Pacheco said, “Partnering with Amazon on their carbon insets program helps us drive real reductions in sectors that matter most to our business.”

Superpollutant Refrigerant Destruction Credits: Tackling Methane, HFCs, and Black Carbon
Superpollutants, including methane, HFCs, black carbon, and tropospheric ozone, are significantly more potent than CO₂. Unlike CO₂, which can linger in the atmosphere for centuries, superpollutants last from a few days to around a century, meaning cutting their emissions can produce measurable results within decades.
Millions of tons of refrigerant gases remain in old equipment, materials, or stockpiles. Without intervention, these superpollutants could add billions of tons of CO₂ equivalents to the atmosphere. Reducing these emissions can prevent up to 0.6°C of warming by 2050, according to IPCC scenarios.

How They Work
Now these credits fund the safe destruction of potent greenhouse gases, such as methane and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which trap far more heat than CO₂. By destroying these gases, companies can help slow global warming and achieve measurable climate benefits within decades.
Amazon’s Approach
Amazon sources refrigerants primarily from small businesses in developing countries and avoids large corporate or government stockpiles. Specialized facilities destroy gases using incineration or plasma-arc gasification, converting them into CO₂, water, and inert salts.
Furthermore, refrigerant destruction also helps the ozone layer recover faster, reducing harmful UV radiation, protecting ecosystems, supporting global food production, and benefiting human health.
It credits companies based on modeled leak rates over a maximum 10-year period, ensuring realistic and verifiable climate impact. Projects follow internationally recognized protocols and avoid double-counting emissions reductions.
Building a Robust Carbon Credit Strategy
As we understand now, Amazon’s carbon credit program allows companies to blend neutralization and inset credits, giving them flexibility to tackle Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions while pursuing net-zero targets.
Insetting vs. Offsetting
- Insets: Reduce emissions directly within a company’s own supply chain.
- Offsets: Compensate for emissions by supporting external climate projects.
Neutralizing Remaining Emissions
While cutting emissions within its own operations remains the top priority, Amazon invests in climate mitigation efforts outside its value chain. This includes direct investments, advance purchase agreements, coalition building, new methodology development, and innovative technologies.
Despite its Climate Pledge commitment, its total carbon emissions rose to 68.25 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in 2024, a 6% increase from 2023. This growth was driven by data center expansion for AI and fuel use in its delivery fleet.

Amazon mainly uses carbon credits to complement its own emissions reductions. Its focus is on high-quality, science-based removal projects rather than offsetting ongoing emissions.
Key Purchases, Investments, and Strategy Context
The retail giant has committed to buying 250,000 metric tons of direct air capture (DAC) credits from 1PointFive’s STRATOS facility over 10 years starting in 2023. In addition, it sources credits through the LEAF Coalition to help protect Brazilian forests and invests in nature-based projects, such as preventing deforestation and restoring ecosystems.
More recently, Amazon expanded its platform to include lower-carbon fuel inset credits, like renewable diesel, alongside its existing nature- and technology-based removal credits. Early users include companies like Flickr and industries such as real estate and tech consulting.
In simple terms, these credits help Amazon reach its goal of net-zero emissions by 2040 under the Climate Pledge. The main focus is on removing leftover emissions after first improving energy efficiency and using renewable energy. While Amazon does not share the exact yearly volume of credits it buys, every credit is carefully checked for additionality, permanence, and transparency. This ensures credibility and addresses doubts about the voluntary carbon market.
The post Amazon Expands Its Carbon Credit Strategy with Lower-Carbon Fuel and Superpollutant Solutions appeared first on Carbon Credits.
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Carbon Footprint
Rocking the Carbon Clock: ERW Could Cut 350 Million Tonnes of CO₂ Annually by 2050
- Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) is gaining attention as a scalable carbon removal solution. A recent study suggests the method could remove up to 350 million tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2050 if widely deployed.
What is Enhanced Rock Weathering?
Enhanced Rock Weathering is a carbon removal method that speeds up a natural geological process. Rocks such as basalt and silicates naturally react with carbon dioxide (CO₂) over thousands of years.
ERW involves crushing these rocks into fine powder and spreading them on the soil. The larger surface area makes the rocks react faster with CO₂ in the air and soil. Scientists believe this could permanently capture and store carbon as stable minerals or ocean carbon pools.
This carbon removal has emerged as a promising part of the climate toolkit to help lower atmospheric CO₂ levels.
How ERW Removes Carbon
Natural rock weathering already captures about 1.1 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year from the atmosphere. ERW accelerates this process by increasing the rock’s contact with CO₂.
When rainwater dissolves CO₂, it forms carbonic acid, which reacts with silicate rocks. This reaction locks carbon into bicarbonate ions. Some of the ions wash into rivers and reach the ocean, where they can stay for thousands of years. Because the carbon is stored this way, it is unlikely to return to the atmosphere soon.
In agriculture, ground rocks applied to the soil enhance this process. The rocks react with CO₂ around plant roots and soil microbes. Some companies source rock dust from quarries. They use industrial byproducts instead of new mining.
350 Million Tonnes: The Mid-Century Potential
New research shows that ERW could make a major contribution to climate goals by mid-century. Scaling ERW on suitable agricultural land and other surfaces worldwide could remove an estimated 350 million tonnes of CO₂ per year by 2050. This would come from fast-tracking the natural weathering process across large areas of cropland.
Global modelling studies also suggest even bigger potential. ERW could cut hundreds of millions to billions of tonnes of CO₂ each year by 2050. This depends on widespread use, strong policy support, and proper infrastructure.
Some studies focused on the United States have reported similar potential. Research shows that ERW in U.S. agriculture could cut CO₂ by 160 to 300 million tonnes each year by 2050. If expanded, this number could reach 250 to 490 million tonnes by 2070.

This 350 million-tonne figure sits within a broader picture of potential CDR capacity. Some analyses suggest that ERW could remove billions of tonnes every year. This would occur if the method is used widely across continents with big agricultural sectors.
Why ERW Stands Out in the Carbon Removal Race
One key reason ERW attracts attention is its durability. Carbon captured through rock weathering is stored in stable forms that can last thousands to millions of years. This permanence can make ERW more durable than some nature-based solutions that store carbon only for the lifetime of trees or plants.
ERW also builds on existing farming and mining systems. The technology uses known equipment and methods for crushing and spreading rock. This means ERW is likely easier to use widely than complex methods like direct air capture (DAC). DAC needs big new facilities and a lot of energy.
Enhanced rock weathering has additional benefits beyond carbon capture. When applied to agricultural soils, silicate rock dust can improve soil nutrition and structure. This can enhance crop yields and reduce the need for some fertilizers. Some research has even shown that certain enhanced weathering practices can improve crop performance while removing CO₂.
ERW Carbon Removal Credits Snapshot
ERW has begun to enter this market with real, verified credits. In early 2025, InPlanet and Isometric issued the first independently verified ERW carbon removal credits. These credits show long-lasting CO₂ removal. They are certified with strict monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols.
While ERW still makes up a very small share of total credits traded in 2025, its emergence marks a milestone for carbon removal markets. Early tracking shows that nearly one million ERW credits have been sold, and the total investment in ERW projects is about US$121 million. This reflects increasing interest from companies and offset buyers.

ERW carbon credit prices now range from $200–$500 per tonne. This spread comes from differences in project size, location, and how mature each method is.
Early ERW credits add variety to the carbon market. They focus on carbon removal, which is attracting buyers like Google and Microsoft. They want long-term, verified removal credits along with avoidance credits.
- SEE MORE: Microsoft Backs InPlanet’s Enhanced Rock Weathering Push to Remove 28,500 Tons of CO₂ in Brazil

Scaling Up: Verification, Logistics, and Adoption Hurdles
Despite its promise, ERW faces several challenges before it can deliver on its full potential by 2050.
- Monitoring and verification: Measuring exactly how much CO₂ ERW removes is complex. The process occurs over time and involves soil chemistry, water movement, and geological cycles. Accurate monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems are needed to ensure that carbon removal amounts are real and not overstated.
- Deployment logistics: Scaling ERW globally would require vast amounts of crushed rock. This means expanded quarrying, crushing, transport, and spreading infrastructure. These steps must be done efficiently to avoid high emissions from transport and machinery.
- Agronomic adoption: Farmers and landowners would need incentives and support to adopt ERW. Also, the use of rock dust must align with soil types, crops, and local farming practices. Long-term studies are ongoing to determine the best application rates and conditions for different regions.
- Environmental questions: While ERW can benefit soil fertility, some uncertainties remain about long-term ecosystem impacts and potential side effects. Careful planning and studies are needed before very large-scale deployments can occur.
A Key Piece in the Net-Zero Puzzle
Climate models show that reducing emissions alone won’t be enough to meet the Paris Agreement’s goals. Many experts argue that carbon dioxide removal (CDR) must play a role in keeping the temperature rise below 1.5°C. ERW is one of several CDR methods being considered.
Other CDR approaches include direct air capture (DAC) and bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). DAC uses machines to pull CO₂ directly from the air, but it is still expensive and energy-intensive.
BECCS captures CO₂ from biomass energy but depends on large dedicated biomass supplies. ERW, by contrast, can leverage natural soil processes and agricultural lands for scalable removal.
Policy makers and climate planners see enhanced rock weathering as one piece of a broader carbon removal portfolio. ERW, along with strong emissions cuts, nature-based solutions like reforestation, and new technologies, can help balance hard-to-abate emissions in sectors such as industry and agriculture.
To reach 350 million tonnes of CO₂ removal per year by 2050, ERW must scale rapidly. This will require stronger global commitment from governments, research institutions, and private investors.
Moreover, investment in field trials and pilot programs will help refine practices and decrease uncertainty. As more data becomes available, ERW techniques can be optimized for different soils, climates, and crop systems.
Public policy support will also be key. Carbon markets, incentives, and crediting systems that recognize verified removal could help fund large-scale ERW deployment. If aligned with broader climate goals, ERW could become a major contributor to meeting global net-zero targets.
The post Rocking the Carbon Clock: ERW Could Cut 350 Million Tonnes of CO₂ Annually by 2050 appeared first on Carbon Credits.
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