Wren | How we’re helping solve Brazil's landfill methane problem

Just the gist

Short on time? Here’s what you need to know for this update.

Preventing 240,000 tonnes of CO₂e annually

Methane (CH₄) is a greenhouse gas 84× more potent than CO₂ over a 20-year period. Cutting methane emissions delivers faster climate benefits, giving us critical time to decarbonize and reduce long-lasting CO₂ emissions.

In Brazil, waste sites contribute significantly to the methane problem, accounting for nearly 16% of the country’s emissions. Without action, those emissions could rise by over a quarter by 2030.

As organic waste decomposes in landfills, it naturally produces methane gas that typically escapes into the atmosphere. Wren's newest project, Landfill methane abatement, is operating a gas collection system that captures methane from the João Pessoa Landfill and either uses it to generate electricity or safely burns off the excess gas. We are proud to support a project utilizing a methodology that has been independently assessed by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market and approved under the Core Carbon Principles Framework.

Each year, the site prevents around 240,000 tonnes of emissions by capturing gas from thousands of tonnes of daily waste and converts the methane into renewable electricity, converting excess methane into less potent CO₂ in high temperature enclosed flares. Their generators provide over 29,000 MWh of electricity a year, enough to power over 10,000 homes in Brazil.

The João Pessoa landfill project is certified by the Gold Standard, one of the most rigorous carbon credit verification bodies globally. This certification ensures that the project reduces emissions, follows strict monitoring protocols, and delivers measurable climate benefits.

Methane is one of the fastest-growing greenhouse gases, but also one of the fastest to fix. Supporting Landfill methane abatement is a way for you to take immediate, measurable climate action today.

Committing to ambitious ESG goals

Our project partner, Orizon Valorização de Resíduos S.A., is one of Brazil’s largest waste management companies specializing in transforming waste into environmental and economic value. They go beyond methane abatement by committing to ambitious Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals that ensure their impact is long-lasting, transparent, and community-driven.

Here are a few of their 2025 ESG goals:

These commitments show our partner is addressing landfill methane abatement while building a holistic ESG strategy that integrates climate action, community development, and corporate accountability into its work.

Getting to know our project partner

The Landfill methane abatement project is helping to tackle one of the most potent and overlooked sources of emissions. Here is a personal thank you from their CEO, Milton Pilão.

Hi Wren members!

It’s a pleasure to welcome you to this partnership that strengthens our shared purpose: building a more sustainable future for all.

At Orizon, we believe that waste is not an end, but a beginning. Every day, we work to transform society’s discarded materials into environmental solutions that help protect the climate and promote circularity. Our operations recover recyclables, produce clean energy, and manage landfill emissions with cutting-edge technology.

In 2024, our initiatives successfully avoided the emission of 4,875,842 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent—a significant contribution to the global effort against climate change. This result reflects our commitment to turning environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation, impact, and growth.

Our projects capture methane from landfills—a greenhouse gas more than 80 times more potent than CO₂—and convert it into renewable energy. At the same time, we invest in the social development of surrounding communities, creating jobs and fostering environmental education.

At Orizon, we operate with full transparency, rigorously monitoring and verifying the climate benefits of every project according to international standards. This ensures that each tonne of emissions reduced is real, measurable, and permanent.

We’re excited to be part of this global initiative with Rubicon. Together, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and proving that sustainable development is possible through collaboration, innovation, and purpose.

Thank you for being with us on this journey. The planet—and future generations—is already benefiting from this collective action.

Milton Pilão, CEO of Orizon

That's all for this update! As always, thank you for your support.