3Degrees Facilitates Over 80,000 Metric Ton Carbon Removal Purchase for Microsoft From Western Rivers Conservancy's Blue Creek Forest Project

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- 3Degrees, a leading global climate solutions provider and certified B Corporation, announced today a CDR transaction with Microsoft to purchase over 80,000 metric tons of carbon removals from Western Rivers Conservancy's Blue Creek Improved Forest Management Project located in Northern California. This purchase supports Microsoft's near-term climate targets and commitment to supporting high-integrity carbon removal projects.

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Managed by Western Rivers Conservancy (WRC), the project not only enhances forest carbon stocks in North America, but also provides funding to create the Blue Creek Forest and Salmon Sanctuary, which is part of a larger effort to conserve 47,000 acres of temperate rainforest by repatriating the land to the Yurok Tribe. The revenue generated from the sale of carbon credits has helped enable WRC to purchase the Yurok's ancestral lands and donate it back to the Tribe.

Today, the nearly 15,000 acres are being conserved as a Salmon Sanctuary to protect the entire lower half of the Blue Creek watershed, ensuring this cold-water lifeline to the Klamath River remains healthy for salmon, steelhead, and the Klamath system. Additionally, the project provides habitat for rare, imperiled animals like the marbled murrelet, northern spotted owl, California condor, and Humboldt marten.

"Microsoft's investment in the Blue Creek Improved Forest Management Project highlights its commitment to impactful carbon removals and emphasizes the critical role these projects play in enhancing global climate efforts," stated Jennifer Cohn, Associate Director of Business Partnerships at 3Degrees. "We are thrilled that Microsoft has chosen to support this project as it not only protects vital habitats but also supports the local community through sustainable land management."

Microsoft's commitment sets a benchmark for corporate responsibility and demonstrates strategic foresight in addressing global environmental challenges of today and the future.

"We are pleased that 3Degrees is providing carbon removals that meet our quality criteria," stated Brian Marrs, Senior Director of Energy and Carbon Removal at Microsoft." Microsoft's purchase of carbon removal credits from this project supports our near-term climate goals via a diversified portfolio of carbon removal."

About 3Degrees

3Degrees is a leading global climate solutions provider and Certified B Corporation. Our work is driven by the need for urgent climate action, and has been for nearly 20 years. We deliver a full suite of clean energy and decarbonization solutions to help global Fortune 500 companies, utilities, and other organizations achieve their climate goals and address emissions in the fight against climate change. The 3Degrees team brings a commitment to integrity and deep expertise in climate strategy and implementation across scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions, including net zero, global environmental commodities, renewable energy and carbon project development, transportation decarbonization, as well as electric and gas utility voluntary programs. We help develop and deploy impactful climate solutions that make good business sense and advance an equitable transition to the low-carbon future.