Google may not be achieving its net-zero emission target by 2030 in spite of its efforts and commitments according to reports as its carbon emissions continue to surge recording 48% since 2019, an environmental report had shown.
“In spite of the progress we’re making, we face significant challenges that we’re actively working through,” Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt and Senior Vice President Benedict Gomes said in the report.
According to them, the leap in emissions was due largely to energy-guzzling data centers and supply chain emissions necessary to power artificial intelligence (AI) systems such as Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. In its estimation, the report confirms that in 2023, Google’s data centers alone accounted for up to 10% of global data center electricity consumption. Adding that their data center electricity and water consumption both increased 17% between 2022 and 2023.
According to the report, Google had just last year released 14.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, 13% higher than the year earlier.
Adding further the report quotes Google as accepting all its lapses however admitted equally that its ambitions to achieve net-zero by 2030 would not be easy nut to crack: “As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging due to increasing energy demands associated with the expected increases in our technical infrastructure investment.”
Meanwhile climate scientists have shown concerns as Big Tech giants such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft continue to invest billions of dollars into AI, although Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was said to have argued that AI would accelerate more carbon reduction than addition in energy demand.
Despite the increase in emissions, the report claims they will be “boldly accelerating climate action with AI” through the ability of AI to optimize complex systems.
Google according to the report has pledged to run on carbon-free energy around the clock within each power grid it operates by 2030, to minimize its environmental impact and work towards its net-zero targets. Stating that only last year, an average of 64% carbon-free energy was used to power its data centers and offices.
“A sustainable future requires systems-level change, strong government policies, and new technologies,” the report stated.
“We’re committed to collaboration and playing our part, every step of the way.”