Total Energies has announced a significant partnership with Anew Climate and Aurora Sustainable Lands to advance its climate goals. This new agreement involves a $100 million investment in forestry projects aimed at preserving carbon sinks and enhancing environmental sustainability.
The investment will support Improved Forest Management practices across 20 carbon projects managed by Aurora in 10 U.S. states, covering a total of 300,000 hectares. These projects are designed to protect natural carbon sinks by reducing timber harvesting, improve water and soil quality, boost biodiversity, and conserve natural habitats.
As part of the deal, TotalEnergies will purchase carbon credits generated by these projects to offset a portion of its direct Scope 1 & 2 emissions. The company is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in these areas by 2050 and aims to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels.
This investment is part of TotalEnergies’ broader climate strategy, which includes allocating $100 million annually to projects capable of generating at least 5 million metric tons of CO2e in carbon credits by 2030.
Adrien Henry, Vice President of Nature-Based Solutions at TotalEnergies Exploration & Production, highlighted the significance of the partnership saying he was thrilled to work with Anew Climate and Aurora Sustainable Lands, whose expertise in high-quality projects is crucial for preserving natural carbon sinks and achieving climate objectives.
Anew Climate, founded in 2001 and majority-owned by TPG’s impact investing platform TPG Rise, focuses on climate solutions that help companies reduce their carbon footprints and restore the environment. This agreement follows Anew’s recent carbon credit deal with Microsoft, involving Aurora as well.
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Angela Schwarz, CEO of Anew Climate, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration saying:
“Our thorough due diligence with TotalEnergies underscored their commitment to reducing emissions and investing in meaningful carbon projects. This aligns perfectly with Anew’s mission and our belief in an integrated approach to climate action.”
Aurora Sustainable Lands, a joint venture between Anew Climate and equity investors like Oak Hill Advisors, AB CarVal, EIG, and GenZero, invests in industrially harvested forests to create high-integrity carbon credits. The company manages over 1.7 million acres of U.S. forestland, focusing on carbon stewardship to enhance natural carbon removal and storage. Anew Climate markets the carbon credits generated by Aurora’s projects.
Jamie Houston, CEO of Aurora Sustainable Lands, noted:
“Aurora’s carbon stewardship helps build climate resilience while protecting critical ecosystems. With TotalEnergies’ investment, we can balance forest health, soil quality, watersheds, and wildlife habitats, making a significant and lasting impact on the climate.”
