Google’s carbon emissions increased by 11% last year, reaching 11.5 million metric tons of CO2, reflecting a 51% rise since 2019 as the company intensifies its AI development. This increase distances Google from its 2030 goal of halving emissions compared to 2019. However, Google’s ‘ambition-based’ emissions exclude some supply chain emissions deemed outside its control, with total emissions at about 15.2 million metric tons – equivalent to the output of nearly 40 gas-fired power plants annually. Despite a 12% drop in emissions from data centers, overall data center emissions remain higher than in 2019 due to increased energy use driven by AI. Google cites uncontrollable external factors such as rapid AI evolution, policy changes, slow carbon-free energy adoption, and market limitations as obstacles to meeting its climate targets. Similar trends are seen in other tech giants like Microsoft and Meta, with AI projected to consume more power than Bitcoin this year. Efforts for energy-efficient AI models continue, though some companies pursue fossil fuel-powered data centers, impacted by policies promoting coal usage.
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