Underground Forests Issues First CCP-Eligible Credits in Netherlands, Signs Offtake Deal with MinderCO2

Underground Forests, a Dutch carbon removal company, has become the first project developer in the Netherlands to issue credits under a program labeled as CCP-eligible by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). The company generated 3,249 carbon removal credits under the Rainbow Standard, each representing one tonne of CO2 stored in wooden piles placed below the groundwater table. The piles are used as foundations for buildings, replacing concrete and storing biogenic carbon in an oxygen-free environment. Following the credit issuance, Underground Forests signed a multi-year offtake agreement with MinderCO2 to cover its 2025, 2026, and 2027 emissions. The company aims to complete over 200 building projects in the Netherlands by 2028, with a portfolio expected to store more than 1 megaton of CO2 by 2031. This approach offers a low-carbon alternative to concrete foundations and highlights the growing role of durable carbon removal in the voluntary market.