In a significant stride towards environmental sustainability, global technology leader Apple Inc. has acquired and retired 100,000 carbon credits from Guyana, marking its inaugural engagement with jurisdictional carbon credits under the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) framework.
The credits, priced at US$15 each, amount to a total investment of approximately GYD$313 million. Senior Director for Climate and REDD+ at Guyana’s Ministry of Natural Resources, Dr. Pradeepa Bholanauth, confirmed the transaction, highlighting its alignment with Apple’s commitment to offsetting its corporate emissions.
These 2019-vintage credits, representing emission reductions from 2016 to 2020, are part of Guyana’s comprehensive forest conservation efforts encompassing 18 million hectares—about 85 per cent of the country’s landmass. Apple’s 2025 Environmental Progress Report emphasises that this initiative supports the nation’s historically low deforestation rate while funding low-carbon development priorities.
Apple’s engagement with Guyana’s carbon credits follows a precedent set by Hess Corporation, which purchased US$750 million worth of credits in December 2022. This move underscores the growing corporate interest in high-quality, jurisdictional carbon credits as a means to achieve sustainability goals.
Since achieving carbon neutrality in April 2020, Apple has consistently invested in carbon credits from various countries, including Colombia and Kenya. The company’s latest acquisition from Guyana signifies a strategic shift towards large-scale, jurisdictional approaches to carbon offsetting.
Guyana’s participation in the voluntary carbon market has yielded substantial economic benefits, with earnings of US$237.5 million from carbon credit sales between 2022 and 2024. Projections indicate additional revenues of US$250 million for the 2021–2025 period and US$312 million for 2025–2030, as credits are sold at increasing rates of US$20 and US$25 per tonne, respectively.
This collaboration between Apple and Guyana exemplifies a mutually beneficial partnership, advancing global climate objectives while supporting sustainable development in forest-rich nations. (News Americas)
