Rather than declining, its emissions grew 13% in 2023 over the year before. Compared to its baseline year of 2019, emissions have soared 48%.
The company has one of the most significant climate commitments in industry and has been seen as a leader. Google Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt told The Associated Press, “Reaching this net zero goal by 2030, this is an extremely ambitious goal. They often are built where electricity is cheapest, not where renewables, such as wind and solar, are a key source of energy.
Tech companies make the case that AI, including tools such as ChatGPT, is not only partially causing climate change, it's also helping to address it.