An indigenous South African plant is at the centre of an initiative by digital giant Amazon to buy almost 2 million tons of carbon removal credits over two decades.

Carbon credits from the Spekboom Outcome Bond, launched by the World Bank, are now available to purchase through Amazon’s carbon credit service, reports Engineering News.

The commitment by Amazon to buy the carbon credits will see 180 million spekboom shrubs planted in the Eastern Cape by 2028. The planting will support the survival of the Albany thicket, which has been in decline.

Planting started in 2024 – more than 30 million plants over 10 000 ha –  with Amazon’s involvement adding another 50 000 ha.

The hardy succulent, native to the area, can remove carbon at rates comparable to young tropical forests.

Because spekboom can be propagated from simple cuttings, the restoration work is sustainable. The project hopes to create 11 000 jobs by 2030 and  inject more than US$500 million into the local economy.

‘Spekboom is a natural wonder, but it can’t heal the land without help from the people who call the Eastern Cape home. This project will restore the ecosystem and create jobs, and serve as a model for how nature-based solutions can enable both climate action and economic development,’ says Amazon chief sustainability officer Kara Hurst.

The project is part of Amazon’s goal to reach net-zero carbon across its operations by 2040.

With an  AA.pre rating from verification agency BeZeroCarbon, the initiative is one of the highest-rated afforestation, reforestation and revegetation  projects in the world.

15 July 2026
Image: Unsplash