Google and McKinsey Fund Brazil Silvopasture Carbon Project

Google and McKinsey & Company have signed long-term agreements to purchase 320,000 metric tons of carbon removal credits over the next 10 years. The funding supports a silvopasture project in Brazil designed to restore 8,700 hectares of degraded pastureland across the Cerrado and southeastern Amazon regions.

Coordinated by the Symbiosis Coalition, the project is implemented by the climate technology company Working Trees. The initiative integrates native tree species and commercial timber into active cattle pastures, allowing landowners to increase carbon sequestration and create future timber revenue without stopping ranching operations. This approach aims to improve overall cattle productivity while addressing environmental degradation.

The deal is part of a larger trend where technology firms use carbon offsets to mitigate emissions from energy-intensive artificial intelligence infrastructure. While proponents highlight the scalability of the model, critics argue that such offsets may allow corporations to avoid making direct reductions to their own emissions.