In Finland, many water systems are too acidic due to pollution and soil acidity, disrupting the natural function of rivers and biodiversity. Now, Forus is bringing Canadian CarbonRun's technology and expertise to Finland, demonstrating that emissions reductions can be achieved while restoring rivers. 

CarbonRun was announced in the New York Times on September 23, 2024, that Frontier, the $1 billion fund backing the company, will pay CarbonRun $25 million to add limestone to several rivers and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Frontier's fund includes tech giants such as Alphabet, Google's parent company, and Shopify, which invest in technologies that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Finland is the first country outside of Canada where CarbonRun aims to expand with the help of Forus. 

River alkalinity enhancement, a method traditionally used to counteract acid rain, has now found a new purpose: returning rivers’ natural ability to capture and transport atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) and terrestrial carbon to the ocean. By adding limestone to acidified rivers, CarbonRun’s solution not only helps to counteract the ecological damage caused by pollution, but also enhances rivers’ natural ability to sequester carbon. The method is already proven to improve ecosystems and fisheries, and now it holds the potential to reach gigaton-scale carbon removal.

“This collaboration with CarbonRun is an exciting next step in Forus Oy’s mission to stop climate change by scaling better solutions. CarbonRun’s solution is well suited to Finland’s river ecosystems and our geography. With this solution carbon can be captured domestically at a reasonable cost, low carbon footprint, and additional benefits to marine ecosystems, rather than exporting CO₂ to the North Sea,” says Eero Oksanen, CEO of Forus Oy. “CarbonRun’s scientific expertise and success in implementing similar projects in Canada, combined with Finland’s abundance of acid sulphate soils and domestic production of the limestone, makes Finland the ideal location to implement this type of innovative and impactful initiative.” 

The first phase of the partnership between the Finnish and Canadian firms encompasses the identification of a site in Finland ideal for hosting CarbonRun’s solution, ensuring community support, consulting with local freshwater experts, and securing regulatory approvals for the potential project. Once a suitable site is identified, community support is secured, and regulatory approvals are in place, CarbonRun and Forus Oy will collaborate with local teams to implement the project. 

CarbonRun has adapted proven river restoration techniques originally applied in Scandinavia and Nova Scotia, using natural crushed limestone to enhance alkalinity in rivers. This process significantly improves water quality and enables rivers to absorb carbon dioxide from the land and atmosphere. In Nova Scotia, Canada, rivers that were heavily damaged have been brought back to health through this process, and fish populations, such as Atlantic salmon, have increased.