Key Takeaways
- Isometric has certified its Improved Soil Management Protocol, a new standard for certifying carbon removal and reduction from improved land management.
- Soil holds nearly 3 trillion tonnes of carbon, roughly three times as much as the atmosphere; better management of croplands and grasslands could remove up to 430 million tonnes of CO2 a year, more than the UK's annual greenhouse gas emissions.
- The protocol requires carbon removal to be measured through direct soil sampling, alone or combined with validated modeling, full greenhouse gas accounting, and a minimum 20% revenue share for enrolled landowners.
- Isometric's Certify platform uses AI agents to support project developers and independent verifiers, aiming to make certification faster and more accurate.
- Three project developers have registered under the protocol: Great Yellow (UK, 300,000+ hectares), Cultivo (US grasslands, 1.5 million-plus acres contracted, with up to $100 million in financing from Octopus Energy Generation) and HGX (1,000-plus US farmers across 3 million acres).
Isometric Certifies Improved Soil Management Protocol for Carbon Removal
Isometric has announced the certification of its Improved Soil Management Protocol, setting a new standard for certifying carbon removal from soil. Soil is the largest terrestrial carbon store on Earth, holding nearly 3 trillion tonnes, around three times as much as the atmosphere. Better management of croplands and grasslands could remove up to 430 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, more than the United Kingdom's annual greenhouse gas emissions.
The protocol sets out how carbon removal and reduction from improved land management is measured, certified and monitored. It requires carbon removal to be measured through direct soil sampling, alone or combined with validated modeling approaches, with projects accounting for all associated greenhouse gas emissions. The protocol also holds projects to strict environmental and social safeguards, including a minimum 20% revenue share for enrolled landowners.
“Soil has enormous potential as a climate solution, and quality is the way to unlock it. When buyers can trust what they're paying for, demand and investment follow. That's why Isometric set out to raise the bar for soil carbon, to increase demand and to help this pathway scale,” said Stacy Kauk, Chief Science Officer of Isometric.
Isometric Certify Platform Streamlines Soil Carbon Verification
Certify, Isometric's certification platform, supports every soil project using the protocol. Its AI agents work alongside project developers and the independent verifiers who audit each project, taking on the data-intensive steps to make certification faster and more accurate.
Three Project Developers Register Under the New Protocol
Three leading project developers have already registered to generate carbon removal certificates under the protocol. Great Yellow is making landscape regeneration investable across the UK, with a portfolio spanning more than 300,000 hectares. Cultivo is regenerating US grasslands at scale, with more than 1,500,000 acres (roughly 600,000 hectares, or about the size of the state of Delaware) contracted so far and a financing partnership with Octopus Energy Generation to deploy up to $100 million into Cultivo's projects. HGX is working with more than 1,000 farmers across the US to restore soil health and sequester carbon across 3 million acres of farmland.
“Soil carbon has real potential, but buyers have been cautious for good reason. The standards haven't always allowed for projects to scale at the rate needed to make this a credible business investment. Isometric's new protocol changes this, and as one of the first development partners, Great Yellow can now bring credible soil carbon credits to market, and fast,” said Ed Dick, CEO of Great Yellow.
“Grasslands cover 40% of the Earth's land and store 34% of the world's terrestrial carbon. Isometric's Improved Soil Management Protocol provides a vital trust layer buyers need to confidently commit to soil carbon removal as a dual solution for corporate offsetting and supply chain insetting. We look forward to partnering with Isometric to scale this protocol with predictable and timely credit issuances by leveraging excellence in science, land management, and both ground truthed and remote data collection, to continue raising the bar for soil carbon,” said Dr. Manuel Piñuela, Cultivo CEO & Co-Founder.
“Soil carbon has enormous potential, but realizing that potential requires scientific rigor that buyers can trust. Isometric's approach helps move the market in that direction. We're proud to be among the first project developers participating and to represent more than 1,000 growers managing over 3 million acres who are demonstrating that soil can be a scalable climate solution,” said Radhika Moolgavkar, VP of Product at HGX.
