Japan-based IT and technology services provider NTT DATA has entered a partnership with Swiss carbon dioxide removal company Climeworks to procure CDR credits for residual emissions that cannot be eliminated through direct operational reductions, marking the first such arrangement between Climeworks and a Japan-based IT and technology services provider.

As reported by Data Center News Asia, the agreement gives NTT DATA access to hundreds of kilotons of carbon removal over the next decade. The credits are intended as a final measure for emissions remaining after direct cuts, with operational decarbonisation retained as the primary route to meeting the company's climate targets.

Yutaka Sasaki, president and CEO of NTT DATA Group Corporation, said: "NTT DATA is continuously reducing our carbon emissions, and we extend our overall expertise and experience to help clients along their own journeys to truly sustainable operations. Our agreement with Climeworks complements these efforts by applying high-quality CDR credits toward our own residual emissions."

NTT DATA is targeting net zero across Scope 1 and 2 emissions in its global data centre operations by 2030 and in its global offices by 2035, with Scope 3 net zero targeted by 2040. In fiscal year 2024, 56% of electricity used across its operations came from renewable sources, up seven percentage points year on year.

Christoph Gebald, co-CEO and co-founder of Climeworks, linked the deal to the expanding carbon footprint of artificial intelligence infrastructure. "As artificial intelligence scales and data center construction expands, companies need clear, credible ways to manage their carbon footprint," he said, describing carbon removal as "a critical part of the AI economy."

Unpack the full details of NTT DATA's carbon removal strategy and Climeworks partnership in the full report.