Key headlines from March - Amazon’s carbon credit service, biodiverse forests grown in Germany, and Meta’s latest purchase

Monthly newsletter on news from the New Forest Economy

Welcome to Arbonics’ monthly roundup of news relevant to forests, the voluntary carbon markets, and climate solutions more broadly. Bringing you the latest that catches our eye - as well as our own take on the news.

Before we get started, we’re excited to share something new: our latest webinar with Cecil Earth. Join experts

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Now, let’s dive into last month’s headlines.

Amazon launches new credit investment service

Amazon has launched a new service to help companies in its network invest in high-quality carbon credits, but only if they meet strict eligibility criteria. Participants must commit to net-zero targets across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, publish their emissions regularly, and demonstrate credible decarbonisation plans grounded in science. Several companies, including Flickr and Corsair, are already signed on.

💡 Arbonics’ take:

👉 Amazon’s new service redefines the entry conditions for participating in the carbon market, drawing a clearer line between using carbon credits to support climate goals, and only using them as a substitute for real emissions reductions.

Perhaps most significantly, it’s leveraging its market position to shape standards from the demand side. Rather than defaulting to existing certification frameworks it’s applying a ’first principles’ approach to project evaluation - an important signal that credit buyers are beginning to demand more than just a label. If scaled, this could catalyse a rebalancing of influence in the market, where credit quality is defined not only by registries but by how rigorously buyers scrutinise outcomes. That’s a trend we’ll be watching closely.

Pina Earth and Yello transform monoculture forests into biodiverse ecosystems

In a new long-term partnership, ClimateTech startup Pina Earth and green energy provider Yello are joining forces to make German forests more climate-resilient. Yello will fund the transformation of over two million square metres of monoculture into climate-resilient mixed forests. The partnership includes an automatic €2.50 climate contribution built into every new electricity, heating, and gas contract with Yello.

💡 Arbonics’ take:

This partnership between Pina Earth and Yello is a promising signal for Germany’s forests and for how we fund their transformation. By building climate contributions into everyday services, it brings restoration into the mainstream and creates a long-term funding pathway for forest owners ready to adapt. If scaled across borders, models like this could help advance the transition of Europe's forests from carbon sinks under threat to resilient climate solutions 🌲

Goldman Sachs launches biodiversity bond fund

Goldman Sachs Asset Management has launched one of the first biodiversity bond funds, giving investors access to bonds that finance biodiversity conservation and restoration. Listed in the EU, the fund is structured under Article 9 of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation - requiring it to allocate at least 90% of investments to sustainable activities. Proceeds will support projects that protect ecosystems, improve biodiversity outcomes, and align with select UN Sustainable Development Goals.

💡 Arbonics’ take:

❓ As new capital flows into biodiversity-focused finance, the question is whether it will align with positive ecological outcomes. A bond fund like Goldman Sachs’ shows that nature is increasingly being treated as a formal asset class and while this brings opportunity, there’s also a need for robust safeguards. Otherwise, there’s a risk we end up pricing nature without protecting it. We’ll be watching closely how these financial products translate into outcomes on the ground.

Meta and EFM partner to deliver 676,000 carbon removal credits via improved forest management

EFM and Meta have signed a long-term agreement to deliver 676,000 carbon removal credits by 2035 through an Improved Forest Management (IFM) project across 68,000 acres of forest in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. The project will shift the land from industrial timber practices to climate-smart forestry, aiming to restore salmon habitats, recreational opportunities, non-timber products, and tribal cultural harvesting.

💡 Arbonics’ take:

One of the most interesting aspects here is how carbon finance is starting to shape who owns the land, not just how it's managed. By securing carbon revenue upfront, EFM and Meta have flipped the typical model, making restoration a driver of acquisition. This is a clear shift from the current offtake model, and a clear sign that carbon finance is maturing into a forward-looking asset class.

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