Google signs historic carbon deal in Brazil

Google closed the largest carbon removal agreement in its history on 16 September 2026. The company is backing a project spanning more than 200,000 hectares of rice plantations in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The initiative is run by startup Terradot, in which Google bought a stake in 2024.

The effort combines methane reduction in flooded rice paddies with enhanced rock weathering to pull carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. Rice paddies account for about 10% to 12% of global methane emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The project aims to generate credits equivalent to 1 million metric tons of avoided methane emissions by 2030.

Terradot also plans to use enhanced rock weathering to produce another 1 million tons of carbon removal credits by 2040. According to Reuters, this carbon removal portion is ten times larger than any previous project of its type, making it the largest enhanced rock weathering agreement ever announced. Google and Terradot eventually aim to expand the model across Brazil's roughly 1.5 million hectares of rice fields and to major producers such as India and Vietnam.

The companies did not disclose the financial value of the contract. A public contract signed by Terradot in 2024 to remove 90,000 tons of carbon indicated a price near $300 per ton. CEO James Kanoff stated that the new project will have a lower cost than previous deals, although verification can add more than $100 per ton in expenses. Terradot plans to start international pilot projects in 2026 and begin commercial expansion from 2028.