5 tech corporations typically cited as exemplars for emissions reductions ambition face a method disaster exacerbated by development plans for synthetic intelligence and outdated greenhouse gasoline accounting practices, finds an evaluation by two European assume tanks.
The businesses — Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta and Microsoft — are carefully evaluated in a chapter of the 2025 Company Local weather Accountability Monitor, revealed June 26 by NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch. “Tech corporations’ GHG emissions targets seem to have misplaced their which means and relevance,” the evaluation discovered.
Tech corporations can reclaim their management positions by recasting their renewable electrical energy investments to extra carefully match the hourly power consumption of cloud computing operations; innovating to extend the lifespan of the {hardware} of their product strains and knowledge facilities; and boosting the quantity of recycled supplies and demanding minerals they use, in accordance with the report.
“Our actual criticism is in regards to the system: how will we enhance the principles of the sport,” mentioned Thomas Day, a local weather coverage analyst with NewClimate.
Amazon, which obtained an advance copy of the report, mentioned by a spokesperson that it “mischaracterizes our knowledge and makes inaccurate assumptions all through— its personal disclaimer even acknowledges [NewClimate Institute] can’t assure its factual accuracy. In contrast, we’ve a confirmed, independently audited, seven-year observe file of transparently delivering information that observe international reporting requirements.”
No plans to alter
All 5 corporations stay resolute in commitments made originally of this decade. Microsoft, which in Could reported a 23.4 p.c cumulative enhance in its carbon footprint since 2020, is “pragmatically optimistic” about its plan.
“We stay dedicated to growing and supporting modern options to scale back emissions from key knowledge heart and operational inputs together with electrical energy, constructing supplies, chips and fuels, specializing in long-term options over short-term stopgaps,” an organization spokesperson mentioned in response to questions on this report. “To do that, we’ve been adapting our methods to leverage new sustainability applied sciences and tackle the challenges of increasing power demand.
Google, Amazon and Meta have likewise reported will increase since their baseline years. They’ve but to publish their newest updates, though Google’s replace is due imminently.
Apple, Google and Meta didn’t reply to requests for remark.
Vitality demand for knowledge facilities grew 12 p.c yearly between 2017 and 2024, and there’s nothing to counsel a reversal. “If power consumption continues to rise unchecked and with out sufficient oversight, these tech corporations’ current GHG emissions discount targets could seemingly be unachievable,” the report mentioned, “as corporations could wrestle to put in extra renewable electrical energy era quick sufficient to fulfill this enhance in addition to cut back current emissions.”
Apple has up to now lower emissions by 60 p.c since 2015, in accordance with its April replace, however its knowledge heart publicity is smaller than the opposite corporations and its calculations rely closely on avoided-emissions estimates.
Apple’s claims additionally lean closely on its push to get its provide chain to transition to renewables. To date, key suppliers have introduced 17.8 gigawatts of photo voltaic and wind on-line, which represents about 95 p.c of its spending. The objective is to get them to make use of renewable power for 100% of their manufacturing by 2030.
“Apple is the one one in every of these corporations with a significant goal for provide chain electrical energy from renewables,” mentioned Day. “This stays an enormous blindspot for this sector.”
At the least one-third of the emissions footprint from tech sector corporations comes from power used to fabricate laptop {hardware}, in accordance with the report.
Outdated Scope 2 accounting strategies
All 5 corporations primarily based their emissions reductions targets on present steering from the Greenhouse Gasoline Protocol, which permits them to jot down down their power footprints with renewable electrical energy certificates. Many are sourced by digital energy buy agreements or offers with utilities to place extra photo voltaic, wind and different renewables on the grid.
These strategies are being revised, with large implications for the way they’ll be capable to report on progress sooner or later. One change into consideration, for instance, would require the businesses to match location-based power consumption with renewables on an hourly foundation. That’s stricter than the method they will use right this moment.
Whereas Microsoft and Google have embraced the hourly method, Amazon and Meta advocate a distinct methodology that focuses on the potential of company renewables investments to scale back emissions on fossil fuels-heavy grids. Apple’s place is someplace within the center.
The underside line: “The businesses will seemingly have to replace their targets in accordance with the revised accounting guidelines,” the report mentioned.
Untapped alternative
The tech giants might enhance the credibility of their emissions reductions targets by setting extra particular targets for rising the lifespan of the {hardware} — each the digital gadgets offered to customers and people used of their knowledge facilities. Not one of the 5 corporations thought-about have set particular targets to extend the longevity of their {hardware}, in accordance with the report.
“We want extra benchmarks and steering round this,” Day mentioned. “However they should transfer forward of the principles of the neighborhood.”
The evaluation additionally recommends extra give attention to rising the share of recycled supplies and demanding minerals in servers, private computer systems and different gadgets. To date, their commitments are restricted.
Meta “prioritizes” recycled content material. Apple goals to use 15 precedence supplies including uncommon earths from recycled sources, however isn’t particular a few goal date. Google has targets for its client merchandise, though not for knowledge facilities. Microsoft began mining laborious drives for uncommon earths in April and Amazon helps recycling and trade-in packages. Neither, although, have particular targets.
