Tokyo-based Green Carbon Co. has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Thailand Natural Rubber Corp. to develop a biocharBiochar is a carbon-rich material created from biomass decomposition in low-oxygen conditions. It has important applications in environmental remediation, soil improvement, agriculture, carbon sequestration, energy storage, and sustainable materials, promoting efficiency and reducing waste in various contexts while addressing climate change challenges. More carbon credit project using rubber trees. The initiative will span 4 million hectares of Thai rubber plantations, aiming to turn discarded rubber wood scraps into biochar.

The project will focus on resource recycling by processing rubber trees that have reached the end of their productive life. The biochar will be applied to rubber plantations to evaluate its soil carbon fixation potential. Green Carbon plans to scientifically verify the benefits of biochar, such as reducing chemical fertilizer use, improving soil quality, and supporting tree growth.

In addition to biochar production, Green Carbon will collaborate with Thailand’s Natural Rubber authority to promote sustainable cultivation methods. This includes efforts to meet global sustainability standards, such as obtaining forest certifications and complying with European Union regulations like the EUDR (European Deforestation Regulation) and CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism).

The project is expected to create carbon credits that can serve as a model for decarbonizing the natural rubber (NR) industry globally. Insights gained in Thailand will be applied to other NR-producing countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Green Carbon, which also operates forest conservation and agricultural carbon credit projects in Southeast Asia, aims to enhance the sustainability of the NR sector while advancing global decarbonization efforts.