For more than 180 years, The Economist has helped readers understand the forces that shape our world. Founded in 1843, The Economist today provides individuals, businesses, and governments with independent insight, analysis, and engagement through journalism and information services, on the urgency of ambitious action both to curb emissions and to adapt to the inevitable impacts of a warming climate. But to speak with authority on climate, The Economist has long sought to lead by example in addressing its own footprint and environmental impacts.

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The Economist ran its first climate cover in 1989, as the world was waking up to the risks of rising temperatures. Several months earlier, James Hanson, an American scientist for NASA, had warned Congress that “the greenhouse effect has been detected and is changing our climate now.” Since then, The Economist has been vocal about the dangers of climate change, from the risks of rising seas to the ominous possibility of a world that hurtles past its target of net-zero emissions.

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A pivotal moment came in 2019, with the publication of The Economist’s climate issue. Its goal was to demonstrate how climate affects all aspects of society, from business and trade to politics and human rights. To coincide with this report, Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, asked the business to assess its own carbon impact. This led to the formation of the Group’s sustainability function and climate strategy. "The biggest impact we can have is ensuring that our audience is equipped to understand and to take action on the climate and nature crisis through our content. But we must also lead when it comes to our own footprint and impacts.”, said Emily Jackson-Kessler, SVP of Sustainability at The Economist Group.

The Economist Group’s Commitments

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Today, The Economist Group is committed to ambitious, science-aligned goals. It has a validated science-based target to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In 2024, the Group surpassed its initial science-based target — a 25% emissions reduction by 2025 — a year early. In response, it raised its ambition, committing to a 43% reduction by 2030, in line with recommendations from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

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The Group’s decarbonization strategy is based on four pillars:

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1. Digital transition: accelerating a digital-first approach across the business‍

2. Travel: reducing business travel, especially air travel‍

3. Energy: improving office energy efficiency and purchasing renewable-energy attribute certificates‍

4. Value chain: engaging suppliers and partners to reduce emissions across the entire supply chain

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With a long-term ambition to reach net zero by 2045, the Group also recognizes the need to address residual emissions. It believes science supports innovation in carbon removal and other mitigation strategies that extract and store atmospheric carbon–contributing to climate stabilization over the coming decades. 

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“We know the best way to progress towards net zero is to keep reducing emissions,” said Emily Jackson-Kessler, SVP of Sustainability at The Economist Group. “But how can we address unavoidable emissions in a way that is not only credible, but also deeply embedded in our company culture?”

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Engaging Employees in Real Climate Action

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The solution to this challenge reflected The Economist Group’s inclusive approach to sustainable progress. Colleagues chose from a set of carbon removal initiatives, including biochar projects, selected in partnership with Carbonfuture to form part of The Economist Group’s climate contribution budget. By working with Carbonfuture, The Economist Group ensured that all selected biochar projects delivered credits tracked through Carbonfuture’s digital Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system, ensuring a reliable data trail and full transparency in the carbon removal process.

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With credit quality assured, employees could select the projects based on two key questions: which projects align most closely with the Group's goals, and which would provide the most significant benefits to the climate and local communities? They chose two biochar carbon removal (BCR) projects to include in the portfolio from suppliers on opposite sides of the world: Exomad Green in Bolivia and Varaha in India.

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Exomad Green‍

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Exomad Green has emerged from their roots as Bolivia’s top sustainable timber exporter to become one of the largest BCR producers in the world. Originally founded to address the environmental harm caused by the burning of timber waste — a common practice in Bolivia — Exomad Green would instead convert this biomass into biochar, removing CO₂ from the atmosphere in a manner that would also support local soil health and sustainable agriculture initiatives.

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With three biochar facilities in Bolivia that are now either online or under construction (in Concepción, Riberalta, and Guarayos), Exomad Green has a goal of removing 360,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually when all three are fully operational. But their mission extends far beyond the climate impact. Exomad Green provides the produced biochar as a soil amendment to local farmers free of charge, helping to improve crop yields, while also improving the health of local community residents by reducing the burning of timber waste.

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These were appealing project benefits for The Economist Group, which noted that Exomad Green has also delivered more tonnes of high-quality carbon removal than any other CDR supplier. This model for climate action, backed by Carbonfuture MRV+, shows how projects with strong local benefits can have global ambitions.

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Varaha‍

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Founded in 2022, Varaha is placing smallholder farmers at the center of carbon removal. Focusing on rural landscapes and local communities across Asia, Varaha utilizes a variety of pathways for climate action, with a goal to ultimately sequester 1 billion tonnes of CO₂ on smallholder lands.

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The project that The Economist Group ultimately selected from Varaha is their community-led biochar program in India’s Gujarat and Rajasthan states, which uses the invasive Prosopis juliflora as a feedstock. This species of tree disrupts local ecosystems and communities by depleting groundwater reserves and pushing out native flora.

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By employing the local community to convert this species into biochar using KonTiki kilns, the program not only helps to financially empower smallholder farmers, it’s also helping them reconnect back to the land by turning an invasive species into a climate-positive opportunity. The resulting biochar is then applied directly back to farmland, where it enriches the soil.

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These key benefits for local stakeholders and the broader ecosystem were difference-makers for The Economist Group employees, as was the high quality of this community-led approach to carbon removal. Supported by Carbonfuture MRV+, Varaha’s biochar initiative is now one of the largest biochar projects globally, helping to restore degraded grasslands across western India on a massive scale. 

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A Global Business with Global Impact

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Achieving climate goals requires more than cutting emissions. It also means addressing residual emissions through high-quality carbon dioxide removal. Identifying durable carbon removal projects that align with company values can challenge any sustainability team.

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The Economist Group’s inclusive approach has engaged employees in this process, enabling them to contribute to the organization’s climate strategy. This has supported internal awareness, strengthened climate literacy, and given visibility to the sustainability team's broader work.

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Importantly, this approach also has a tangible impact beyond the organization. By integrating high-quality, durable carbon removal into its strategy — and supporting projects that benefit local communities and ecosystems — The Economist Group shows how companies can take practical, credible steps towards net zero.