GSK has committed to an eight-year carbon removal agreement with Varaha, a nature-based credit developer, to purchase over 500,000 verified carbon credits from regenerative farming projects in northern India. The initiative spans 50,000 hectares in Punjab and Haryana, targeting crop residue burning and intensive tillage. Starting in 2028, the deal will deliver roughly 100,000 tons of removal credits annually, helping GSK meet its 2045 net-zero goal while supporting local farmers. The project, structured through climate investment platform Earthly, shifts smallholders to practices like direct seeded rice and reduced tillage. Varaha reports that carbon credit revenue covers machinery and labor costs, and that farmers stop burning only when a viable financial alternative exists. Beyond emissions, the program avoids PM2.5, saves water, and raises household incomes by 12 to 16 percent, tying climate action to public health and rural economics.
