Google confirmed the increase in carbon emissions in the 2025 Sustainability Report. With the effect of artificial intelligence investments, the total amount of release exceeded 15 million tons. It is seen that the company has moved away from its environmental targets for 2030.
Google’s last release of 2025 sustainability reporthas revealed deviations in the environmental targets of the technology giant. According to the report, the company’s “intent -based” carbon release increased by 11 percent in 2024 to 11.5 million metric tons. This increase points to a 51 percent rise compared to 2019. However, according to the detailed table in the annexes of the report, Google’s total carbon release is actually over 15.2 million metric tone. This amount corresponds to the annual release of approximately 40 natural gas power plants. These data show that Google moves away from the goal of halving carbon emissions by 2030.
Google’s “intent -based” calculations excluded some categories and subsidiaries in the supply chain. The company states that these items are not directly in the field of control. Among the not included categories include some purchased services, food programs and subcontractor activities. This approach leads to incomplete reflection of the total environmental impact. Nevertheless, the real environmental dimensions of Google’s activities can be understood more clearly with the data presented to the public.
With the expansion in the field of artificial intelligence, energy consumption continues to increase. Although Google states that there is a 12 percent decrease in carbon release caused by data centers, these emissions are still very high compared to 2019. The company explains this decrease with more efficient infrastructures and software improvements. However, as the process power needed by artificial intelligence -based applications increases, the impact of these improvements can be limited.
The energy needs of artificial intelligence applications interrupt the efforts to reduce carbon
Google emphasizes that some external factors make it difficult to achieve climatic goals in its report. Among these factors rapid development of artificial intelligencechanges in energy policies and the slow spread of zero -carbon energy technologies. In addition, the fact that such energy solutions are not yet accessible in some regions affect the process negatively. The company states that these uncertainties may affect the costs, applicability and timing. Therefore, he states that it should be more flexible. The report adds that long -term planning has difficulty due to the lack of future energy needs.
Not only Google, but also in companies such as Microsoft and Meta, energy consumption from artificial intelligence increases. At the end of 2025, the energy consumption of artificial intelligence systems Bitcoinis expected to pass consumption. The new data center, which works with META in Louisiana, stands out as an example of this trend. In addition, with the new decree signed by US President Donald Trump, arrangements that encourage the use of coal in artificial intelligence data centers entered into force. These developments demonstrate how policies that contradict the transition to clean energy make it difficult for technology companies to climatic promises.
In spite of this table, some initiatives are trying to develop more efficient artificial intelligence models. Organizations such as China -based Deepseek are working on new models that will reduce the cost of transaction and energy consumption. However, these initiatives have not yet been applicable on a large scale. Companies like Google continue to face serious obstacles in reducing carbon emission until these technologies become widespread. In this process, transparent reporting enables to see the real dimensions of environmental impacts more clearly.