Microsoft signals pause in funding for carbon dioxide removal market

Since 2020, Microsoft has spearheaded efforts to develop a carbon dioxide removal market. The Redmond-based software giant pledged to make the company carbon negative by 2030 and remove all its emissions since its founding by 2050.

Now, the company seems to be taking a step back from leading that charge. New York Times climate team reporter David Gelles spoke to KUOW’s Kim Malcolm about his reporting on what Microsoft is doing, and why.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Kim Malcolm: Let’s start with the big picture. What is the goal of carbon dioxide removal?

David Gelles: The idea for the carbon dioxide removal market, which to be fair is just getting started, is that even if we are able to remove the vast majority of planet warming emissions that come from the burning of fossil fuels and transportation and agriculture, there will still be a need decades down the road to remove some of that excess carbon dioxide from the…