Google has announced two new strategic partnerships to eliminate super pollutants from the atmosphere - gases that, despite their short lifespan, are dozens of times more powerful than carbon dioxide (CO2) in exacerbating global warming.

The agreements, signed with Recoolit and Cool Effect, involve the acquisition of long-term carbon credits, with an estimated impact equivalent to the removal of 1 million tons of CO2.

According to a Negócios newspaperThis effort is in line with the warnings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which identifies super pollutants as responsible for almost half of global warming to date. Eliminating them is one of the most effective ways of mitigating climate change in the short term.

"Destroying these pollutants is one of the most powerful levers available today to slow climate change in the short term. That's why we're supporting two partners who take distinct but complementary approaches to verifiable, additional destruction of these pollutants," says Randy Spock, Google's Carbon Credits and Removals leader.

The startup Recoolit, founded in 2020, has developed a technology that allows refrigeration system technicians to capture hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - gases used in air conditioners and refrigerators, for example - and destroy them permanently. With the support of technology, the company intends to multiply its operations tenfold and expand to other countries.

"Momentum in this sector is starting to pick up. It's encouraging to see that the leaders driving carbon removal technology have realized that keeping the planet habitable requires both long-term durable removals and short-term emergency measures such as destroying refrigerants," celebrates Louis Potok, CEO and co-founder of Recoolit.

The partnership with the non-profit organization Cool Effect will have a direct impact in Brazil. Through collaboration with local company Orizon Valorização de Resíduos, a methane destruction system will be installed at a landfill in Cuiabá, in the state of Mato Grosso. Launched in 2015, Cool Effect acts as a certifier of greenhouse gas reduction projects, ensuring their scientific and financial effectiveness.

"Initiatives like Orizon's Pantanal Ecopark are fundamental. "In 2022, the IPCC highlighted the urgent need to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% by 2030 to avoid the worst impacts. Google's investment is a powerful signal that the corporate sector is taking action, supporting high-integrity, science-based solutions," said Cool Effect CEO Jodi Manning.

Although more potent than CO2, super pollutants such as methane and HFCs tend to remain in the atmosphere for less time. According to Google, the immediate impact of the new partnerships is equivalent to removing around 3 million tons of CO2, but over time this contribution should stabilize at the equivalent of 1 million tons.

(Photo DR)