Data as of Aug 25, 2026 · Based on 38 AI responses from ChatGPT Search and Google AI Mode · See how Parse measures this
Your brand can be here too.
If you mean “count” toward a serious corporate net-zero claim—not just “we bought offsets”—the key is to buy high-integrity carbon dioxide removal (CDR) that fits the accounting rules you are using. The market is still evolving, and a purchase that is valid for one purpose (e.g., climate contribution) may not automatically qualify for another (e.g., a formal net-zero claim).
These are often the easiest route for corporate buyers because they aggregate suppliers, perform diligence, and handle contracts, monitoring, and retirement.
For companies that want certificate-level tracking and retirement records:
Large companies often contract directly with developers, especially for emerging technologies where future supply is limited. Common categories include:
Direct contracts can secure future supply but require stronger internal due diligence.
A procurement team should usually require:
Many companies use a portfolio rather than a single technology:
If you share your target framework (for example SBTi, GHG Protocol, CSRD, or an internal net-zero commitment), your annual emissions volume, and your target year, I can suggest what type of removals are most likely to qualify.
Buying carbon removal that "actually counts" means prioritizing durability, additionality, and low reversal risk —aligning strictly with frameworks like the Oxford Offsetting Principles . For a net-zero target, you must move away from cheap avoidance credits and shift toward permanent, engineered, or high-integrity biological removals.
Where you buy depends on whether you want an aggregator/marketplace , a science-led advisor , or a direct-to-source off-take.
These platforms integrate via API or self-serve dashboards, offering vetted portfolios with transparent registries:
If your company needs deep scientific vetting, audit-ready portfolio creation, or custom forward-of-take agreements to mitigate delivery and greenwashing risks:
You can buy permanent storage directly from tech providers scaling the infrastructure:
What to Demand to Make It "Count"
When evaluating any supplier or credit through these platforms, ensure:
To help narrow this down, tell me:
Yes—but the key is buying the right kind of removal for the claim you want to make, not simply buying “carbon credits.”
As of 2026, the strongest route for a company pursuing a credible net-zero target is:
Best if you're willing to make a substantial, multi-year commitment.
Frontier aggregates corporate demand and negotiates multi-year offtake agreements with carbon-removal suppliers. Its contracts generally use pay-on-delivery structures and delivery protections, and Frontier publishes summaries of its purchases.
This is particularly attractive if your goal is building a serious removal portfolio rather than buying inexpensive offsets at the end of the year.
Best if you want someone to do the technical diligence and procurement for you.
Carbon Direct offers curated carbon-removal portfolios, direct project procurement and multi-year offtakes. It says its scientists evaluate projects and that contracts include delivery protections and replacement provisions.
For a company without an internal carbon-removal procurement team, this is probably the most straightforward starting point.
I'd require every supplier/project to answer these questions before purchasing:
| Requirement | What you want |
|---|---|
| Removal vs. avoidance | Actual atmospheric CO₂ removal |
| Durability | Long enough to match the emissions you're neutralizing |
| Measurement | Independent, conservative MRV |
| Additionality | Removal wouldn't happen without the purchase |
| Permanence/reversal | Explicit reversal monitoring and remedy |
| Registry/retirement | Unique serial numbers + retirement in your company's name |
| Double counting | Contractual and registry safeguards |
| Host-country accounting | Disclosure of authorization/corresponding adjustment status |
| Delivery risk | Replacement/shortfall provisions |
| Supply chain | Traceable feedstocks and credible environmental/social safeguards |
| Claims | Clear rules about what your company can publicly say |
That last-but-one item matters more than it sounds. For example, Carbon Direct's 2026 guidance on biomass-based removal specifically addresses traceability, communities/workers, soil health and market-integrity risks.
“Will it count?” can mean three different things:
So I wouldn't start by asking, “Where can we buy the cheapest carbon removals?” I'd start with “What net-zero standard and claim are we trying to satisfy?”
If you tell me your annual Scope 1–3 emissions, target year, approximate annual removal budget, and whether you're aiming for SBTi/ISO/another framework, I can narrow this down to the procurement structure and types of removals I'd actually consider.
Best if you want someone to do the technical diligence and procurement for you.
Carbon Direct offers curated carbon-removal portfolios, direct project procurement and multi-year offtakes. It says its scientists evaluate projects and that contracts include delivery protections and replacement provisions.
For a company without an internal carbon-removal procurement team, this is probably the most straightforward starting point.
I'd require every supplier/project to answer these questions before purchasing:
| Requirement | What you want |
|---|---|
| Removal vs. avoidance | Actual atmospheric CO₂ removal |
| Durability | Long enough to match the emissions you're neutralizing |
| Measurement | Independent, conservative MRV |
| Additionality | Removal wouldn't happen without the purchase |
| Permanence/reversal | Explicit reversal monitoring and remedy |
| Registry/retirement | Unique serial numbers + retirement in your company's name |
| Double counting | Contractual and registry safeguards |
| Host-country accounting | Disclosure of authorization/corresponding adjustment status |
| Delivery risk | Replacement/shortfall provisions |
| Supply chain | Traceable feedstocks and credible environmental/social safeguards |
| Claims | Clear rules about what your company can publicly say |
That last-but-one item matters more than it sounds. For example, Carbon Direct's 2026 guidance on biomass-based removal specifically addresses traceability, communities/workers, soil health and market-integrity risks.
Buying carbon removal that "actually counts" means avoiding low-integrity avoidance credits (like paying to protect a forest that wasn't threatened) and instead investing in high-durability, scientifically verified carbon dioxide removal (CDR) . Under modern corporate reporting scrutiny (like CSRD or the GHG Protocol), auditors and regulators heavily penalize low-quality credits.
To buy removal that counts, you need to focus on permanence (storing carbon for 100+ years), additionality (the removal wouldn’t have happened without your funding), and robust MRV (Measurement, Reporting, and Verification).
Where and how to buy depends on your company's scale and procurement capacity:
If you want to bypass the grueling vetting process and tap into pre-screened, elite projects, buying through a trusted collective is the gold standard.
If you need software-driven procurement or want to build a customized portfolio spanning biochar, enhanced weathering, and direct air capture:
If you have substantial capital and want maximum claim legitimacy, you can bypass marketplaces and sign forward offtake agreements directly with project developers (e.g., Charm Industrial for bio-oil, Lithos for enhanced rock weathering, or Heirloom/ClimeWorks for Direct Air Capture). This directly finances new capacity rather than buying off a shelf.
The Golden Rules to Ensure It "Counts"
To help narrow down the best path, could you share:
To make your carbon removal purchases "count" toward a credible net-zero goal, your strategy must align with the Oxford Offsetting Principles: prioritize deep internal reductions, transition aggressively toward carbon removal (rather than emission avoidance/reduction credits), and invest in durable, long-lived storage (low risk of reversal over centuries).
Buying high-integrity carbon dioxide removal (CDR) requires sourcing from institutional-grade registries, forward-purchasing through trusted aggregators, or utilizing science-led platforms.
If you have the in-house capacity to evaluate technical projects, you can source credits directly tied to transparent, rigorous registries:
If you want to accelerate nascent technologies and share risk across high-quality portfolios rather than buying single projects:
If you need software integration, portfolio blending, or hands-on carbon accounting advisory:
What to Demand from Any Supplier
To ensure your money results in an actual ton of carbon removed:
If you can share your approximate annual residual emissions volume (in tons) and your target net-zero year , I can help suggest whether a direct registry approach or an advance market commitment fits your budget best.
If your goal is carbon removal that can credibly support a corporate net-zero claim, don't just buy generic “carbon offsets.” Buy durable carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and make sure the tons are verified, uniquely tracked, and retired for your company.
A good procurement hierarchy is:
Frontier / Stripe Climate Orders is probably the easiest high-integrity starting point for a company that doesn't have an internal carbon procurement team. Frontier vets suppliers and focuses on permanent removal technologies; Stripe says delivered tons are third-party verified and retired on an independent registry.
You can buy either a portfolio or individual suppliers. Current offerings include pathways such as direct air capture, biomass carbon removal/storage and enhanced weathering.
The important catch: Frontier's advance purchases are often for future delivery. You generally can't make a net-zero/carbon-neutral claim from those tons until the removal has actually been delivered and verified.
Require every removal purchase to answer “yes” to these questions:
| Requirement | What you want |
|---|---|
| Removal | CO₂ physically removed from atmosphere |
| Durability | Ideally centuries–millennia; geological/mineral storage is strongest |
| Additionality | Removal wouldn't have happened without the purchase |
| MRV | Independent measurement, reporting and verification |
| Registry | Unique tracking of each ton |
| Retirement | Retired specifically for your company |
| No double counting | No other party can claim the same ton |
| Delivery | Don't treat future/contracted removals as already removed |
| Disclosure | Publicly disclose volume, methodology, vintage/delivery status and retirement evidence |
One especially important distinction: “I paid for carbon removal” ≠ “my company has removed X tonnes.” If you're preparing a net-zero claim, accounting treatment and the timing of delivery/retirement matter.
Also, the landscape has just changed: SBTi released its revised Net-Zero Standard 2.0 in August 2026, with new provisions around removals and post-2035 emissions responsibility. So if your company is specifically targeting an SBTi-validated net-zero target, I'd align your procurement policy with the new standard rather than relying on older offset guidance.
If you tell me (a) your approximate annual residual emissions in tonnes CO₂e, (b) your net-zero target year, and (c) your annual budget, I can narrow this to 3–5 actual removal procurement options and tell you which ones are most defensible for an SBTi/net-zero claim.
Yes—but the key is buying the right kind of removal for the claim you want to make. A carbon-removal purchase does not make your company’s emissions “net zero” by itself.
As of 2026, the cleanest framework is:
For a company buyer, I'd look at high-quality CDR procurement platforms/aggregators rather than simply buying generic “offsets.” Examples include:
I'd evaluate the specific project and credit, not merely the vendor's reputation.
For a company serious about its net-zero claim, I'd require:
| Requirement | What I'd want |
|---|---|
| Removal, not avoidance | CO₂ demonstrably removed from atmosphere |
| Durability | Prefer geological/mineral storage; very long-lived |
| Additionality | Removal wouldn't happen without your financing |
| MRV | Quantified and independently verified |
| No double counting | Unique issuance + retirement + clear ownership |
| Reversal protection | Explicit liability/insurance/buffer mechanism |
| Project transparency | Methodology, location, operator, monitoring data |
| Social safeguards | No unacceptable environmental/community impacts |
| Claim compatibility | Contract/registry documentation supporting the intended corporate claim |
The distinction between “we purchased removals”, “we neutralized residual emissions”, and “our company is net zero” matters enormously. SBTi's framework, for example, says a company doesn't reach net zero until it has achieved the required emissions reductions and neutralized its residual emissions.
If you tell me your annual emissions (e.g. 10,000 tCO₂e), net-zero target year, and whether you need removals for an SBTi-aligned claim or simply want to make a credible climate contribution, I can give you a concrete procurement strategy—including which suppliers/projects I'd shortlist and roughly what budget to expect.
To make carbon removal "count" toward a credible net-zero goal, your company must prioritize durable, permanent carbon dioxide removal (CDR) —such as direct air capture, biochar, or enhanced rock weathering—rather than cheap avoidance offsets, adhering strictly to frameworks like the Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Offsetting and emerging SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standards [0.31]. High-integrity carbon removal is heavily supply-constrained, meaning you should buy through specialized curation platforms, advanced market aggregators , or reputable project developers rather than open spot-market brokers.
Where to Buy Verified Carbon Removal
How to Ensure Your Purchases "Actually Count"
If you can share your approximate residual emissions volume (in metric tons) and your target net-zero year , I can help you estimate a preliminary budget and recommend whether a spot purchase or an advance purchase commitment fits best.
Yes—but the key is that “carbon removal that counts” depends on what claim/accounting framework you need it to count under. Buying a generic “carbon offset” is not enough.
If your company wants a defensible net-zero program, I’d use this hierarchy:
Reduce your own Scope 1–3 emissions first.
Carbon removals are not a substitute for decarbonization. Under the SBTi framework, net-zero ultimately means cutting emissions deeply and then neutralizing the residual emissions with removals.
Buy actual carbon removals, not avoidance credits.
Look for credits representing a measured tonne of CO₂ physically removed from the atmosphere and stored—not a project that merely claims it prevented an emission.
Prefer durable storage and independent verification.
For a corporate net-zero claim, I'd prioritize removals with:
Puro.earth is one of the strongest places to start for engineered removals. Its CORC represents one tonne of durably removed CO₂, with credits verified under the Puro Standard and recorded in its registry. Its methodologies include DAC/geological storage, enhanced rock weathering, bio-based approaches and carbonated materials, with stated durability ranging from 100+ to 1,000+ years depending on the methodology.
Importantly, Puro.earth says buyers can purchase spot inventory or arrange offtake agreements directly with certified suppliers. It no longer operates its own online marketplace, so you'll generally transact with suppliers or marketplace partners.
This is where it gets more interesting in 2026. SBTi has just published Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.0. Its stated requirement is that, at the net-zero target year and thereafter, residual emissions are neutralized with eligible carbon removals; the standard requires verified mitigation outcomes and says long-lived residual GHGs need to be neutralized with long-lived removals.
However, V2.0 isn't yet the operative validation framework for companies submitting targets today: SBTi says companies setting targets in 2026 should use V1.3.1, with V2.0 validation opening in Q1 2027.
So if you're buying now, I'd make your procurement contract and accounting system V2.0-compatible, even if your current target is under V1.3.1.
There are really three different things your CFO/sustainability team might mean by “count”:
| Goal | What I'd buy |
|---|---|
| Support climate action while decarbonizing | High-integrity carbon credits/removals |
| Make a credible future net-zero claim | Durable carbon removals matched to residual emissions |
| Claim a specific product/company is “carbon neutral” | Requires separate review of the applicable claims/accounting rules |
For the second category, I would not simply buy the cheapest credits carrying a major registry's logo.
If you tell me (a) your annual emissions in tonnes, (b) whether you need SBTi alignment, and (c) your approximate $/tonne budget, I can give you a short list of specific removal suppliers/projects I'd consider buying from today, including which ones are durable enough for eventual net-zero neutralization versus better suited to near-term climate contributions.
Buying carbon removal that "actually counts" toward a net-zero goal means navigating a market shifting rapidly toward permanent storage, rigorous measurement, and science-aligned frameworks . To avoid greenwashing and future regulatory penalties (such as under upcoming CSRD or EU green claims rules), corporate buyers rely on established benchmarks like the Oxford Offsetting Principles and consolidated procurement platforms.
What "counts" is defined by high durability (storing carbon for centuries/millennia rather than decades) and true additionality. Procurement options are organized below by how they match corporate needs:
For most companies, doing deep technical due diligence on individual carbon removal (CDR) startups is inefficient and risky. Joining or purchasing through vetted buyer groups de-risks the process:
If your company has the scale to contract directly, bypass spot-market brokers and look for developers with verified, permanent methodologies:
If you are building an internal portfolio from scratch, partner with scientific auditors:
Core Rules for What "Actually Counts"
When evaluating any purchase, ensure your strategy maps to the Oxford Principles for Net Zero Aligned Offsetting:
To help narrow down where you should buy, tell me: