Carbon Direct

In April 2023, American Express announced several initiatives to support low carbon communities. The challenge was to provide digital solutions for eligible U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members that would help them understand their estimated carbon footprint and take action to reduce their carbon impact. The company also aimed to expand its Carbon Footprint Tool for select Corporate clients and provide a digital pilot to help U.S. Consumer and Small Business Card Members understand their estimated carbon footprint. Additionally, American Express wanted to continue providing Green2Gether volunteer activities for colleagues and bring back “Shop with Purpose” Amex Offers for eligible Card Members during Earth Month. The company also had a commitment to net-zero emissions by 2035 in alignment with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Boulder County in Colorado was faced with the devastating aftermath of the 2021 Marshall Fire, the most destructive wildfire in the state's history, which was ignited by climate change-related weather patterns. The county recognized the urgent need to combat global climate change on a local scale to ensure the health, safety, and economic wellbeing of its residents. The challenge was to develop local carbon removal and resilience solutions that could be incorporated into the county's sustainability plans. Boulder County also aimed to model these strategies for other local governments, encouraging them to mobilize their resources for climate adaptation and increased resilience.

The Russell Family Foundation (TRFF), a philanthropic organization committed to positive community impact, has set an ambitious goal to achieve a net-zero portfolio by 2030. This decision was made in alignment with their commitment to the UN-convened Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA). Despite having already optimized its portfolio to be approximately 80% more carbon efficient than the MSCI benchmark through divestment from fossil fuels and investment in decarbonization technologies, TRFF recognized the complexity of the path to net zero. The challenge was not only about reaching their own net zero goal but also about setting an example for the broader philanthropic field. To achieve this, TRFF needed a comprehensive baseline of their carbon footprint, including all emission sources across their operations and their investment portfolio.

Microsoft and Carbon Direct have been dedicated to the development of effective carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions since the release of the first Criteria for High-Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal in 2021. The challenge they faced was addressing the quality issues in the voluntary carbon market and driving effective climate action. They aimed to develop a set of science-based benchmarks that could be used by the broader CDR community. The field of carbon removal is constantly evolving, and keeping up with the latest science and equity considerations is a significant challenge. Furthermore, the introduction of new carbon removal methods like enhanced rock weathering (ERW) added another layer of complexity to the situation.

The digital advertising industry, which represents over 50% of U.S. ad budgets and is nearing $200B in 2022, has a significant carbon footprint. Nearly 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, or 1.6 billion metric tons, are caused by the internet and its supporting systems, with digital advertising contributing a significant portion. The industry uses thousands of servers that bid to fill ad space in real-time, decide which ads to serve with machine learning, and load creative and publisher content, using significant amounts of energy. Scope3, a company founded to make digital advertising sustainable, needed to find an economic incentive for companies to reduce their emissions.