Barclays inks 1st Carbon Removal Deal to Capture CO2 in Crushed Rocks and Soil

Picture Credit: businesstimes.com.sg

Barclays has announced its first-ever carbon removal agreement with UK-based project developer UNDO, aiming to permanently remove more than 6,500 tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere. The initiative employs enhanced rock weathering (ERW), an innovative process that accelerates the natural carbon capture potential of rocks and soil.

The partnership aligns with Barclays’ broader sustainability strategy, following the bank’s 95% reduction in its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of 2024. As part of its commitment to reach net zero by 2050, Barclays is now investing in permanent carbon removal methods to complement its operational decarbonization efforts.

UNDO, founded in 2022, specializes in ERW-based carbon removal projects. Its technology accelerates the natural geological process of weathering by spreading crushed silicate rock over agricultural land. Interactions between the rocks, soil, plants, and microbes speed up CO₂ absorption, while also enriching soil quality and crop yields.

Picture Credit: igrownews.com

Under this agreement, UNDO will apply finely crushed silicate rock across 10,000 acres of farmland in Ontario, Canada. As the rock weathers, it captures CO₂ from rainwater and soil, converting it into stable carbonates that are eventually stored in the oceans for thousands of years.

The partnership builds on UNDO’s growing recognition in the carbon removal sector, highlighted by its recent $5 million win in the XPRIZE Carbon Removal competition. The collaboration not only reinforces Barclays’ climate ambitions but also supports the scaling of one of the most promising and permanent carbon removal technologies available today. Together, the two companies aim to advance a scalable, nature-based solution that contributes to both climate action and agricultural resilience.