How Microsoft Spooked the Global Carbon Removal Market (1)

In the early days of April, a group of mid-level employees at Microsoft Corp. started making calls that would send tremors through the global market for carbon removals.

Employees told at least three carbon-removal project developers that contracts under negotiation were being shelved, according to people familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing private conversations. At least one other developer was told to check the terms of their existing contracts to be ready to challenge any future effort from Microsoft to cut them off, a separate person said.

Microsoft employees speaking on the calls appeared to ...