Berlin-based nonprofit search engine Ecosia has made an unusual proposal in the ongoing antitrust battle against Google. Instead of forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser, Ecosia has offered to assume a 10-year “stewardship” role over Chrome.

Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, described the request as “not absurd,” arguing that the arrangement could serve as an alternative to traditional divestiture remedies.

The proposal was submitted to Google and U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, who is expected to decide this month on measures following his 2024 ruling that declared Google’s dominance in internet search and advertising an illegal monopoly.

One of the remedies under consideration by the U.S. Department of Justice involves compelling Google to divest Chrome.

While Google has resisted such measures and pledged to appeal the ruling, several companies have expressed interest in acquiring Chrome. Among them, OpenAI and Perplexity AI have already indicated willingness to purchase the browser.

Perplexity even tabled an unsolicited $34.5 billion cash offer, though analysts widely criticized it as insufficient. RBC analyst Brad Erickson speculated that OpenAI could be prepared to pay substantially more.

Ecosia, however, envisions a different approach. According to Kroll, Chrome could generate as much as $1 trillion over the next decade.

Under Ecosia’s proposal, 60 percent of Chrome’s revenues would be directed toward global climate initiatives, while the remaining 40 percent would be returned to Google.

Google would retain intellectual property rights and remain the default search engine within Chrome. At the end of the stewardship term, oversight could be reassigned or reviewed.

Founded in 2009, Ecosia is a nonprofit dedicated to financing climate action through its operations. The organization currently donates millions each month and supports environmental projects across more than 35 countries.

If granted stewardship of Chrome, Ecosia pledges to channel billions into rainforest protection, global tree-planting programs, prosecuting environmental polluters, agroforestry initiatives, and investments in green artificial intelligence technologies.

Ecosia already collaborates with Google under a revenue-sharing partnership and operates its own browser built on Chromium, the same open-source framework that powers Chrome.

This existing relationship, Kroll argues, makes the stewardship plan feasible. He also noted that Chrome’s workforce would be retained under the arrangement.

Ultimately, Ecosia’s bid aims to challenge conventional antitrust remedies. Rather than simply transferring Chrome’s influence to another major tech company, Kroll believes stewardship could redirect vast revenues toward addressing climate change.

“We hold a track record of making impossible things possible,” he remarked. “If we can get the judge to consider alternatives, who knows what might come out of it?”

Source: Tech Crunch