Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have jumped nearly 50% in the past five years, as the US tech giant admits achieving net zero by 2030 “won’t be easy”.
The disclosure comes in Google’s annual environmental report, which revealed a 48% leap in greenhouse gas emissions in the past five years, due to the expansion of the tech giant’s data centres which underpin artificial intelligence systems.
The figures, reported by the FT, show that Google’s emissions in 2023 had risen 13% compared with the previous year, hitting 14.3m metric tons. The rise comes as the business – like its rivals – has invested heavily in AI.
Google said its “extremely ambitious” goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2030 “won’t be easy”.
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It said there was “significant uncertainty” around reaching the target, including “the uncertainty around the future environmental impact of AI, which is complex and difficult to predict”.
Chief sustainability officer Kate Brandt said the business was “working very hard” on reducing its emissions, including by inking deals for clean energy.
In April this year, top executives at Google, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Ikea called on the EU to set a greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction target of at least 90% by 2040, compared to 1990s levels.
