How the Tech Boom is Challenging Net-Zero Emissions Targets

The burgeoning field of artificial intelligence is presenting a significant challenge to the ambitious environmental goals of major technology companies. Recent sustainability reports indicate a concerning trend, potentially jeopardizing their efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by the end of the decade.

Several prominent tech giants have experienced increases in their greenhouse gas emissions. Google's emissions saw an 11 percent rise in 2024 compared to the previous year. Amazon's emissions also climbed, increasing by 6 percent. While Microsoft's emissions showed a slight decrease, they still remained 10 percent higher than levels recorded in 2021. Data from Meta has not yet been released.

According to Silke Mooldijk, a climate policy analyst at the NewClimate Institute, the surge in emissions is largely attributed to the expansion of data centers and the growing utilization of AI technologies. The NewClimate Institute published a report in June analyzing the tech sector's net-zero targets.

This represents a notable shift from the progress observed just two years prior, when the same analysis indicated a more positive trajectory for these companies in their sustainability efforts.