Google's emissions up 50% in five years, driven by AI data centers

Google's emissions are up 50%

Google’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased by nearly 50% over the last five years. The company’s 2024 environmental report, released Tuesday, shows the growth is primarily due to data center energy consumption and supply chain emissions.

This surge makes Google’s 2030 “net zero” climate goal significantly harder to achieve. The company had previously aimed to reduce its total emissions by 50% by that date.

AI is the primary driver

The report directly links the rising emissions to the expansion of its artificial intelligence capabilities. “As we further integrate AI into our products, reducing emissions may be challenging,” the report states.

Building and running AI models requires massive amounts of computing power, which in turn demands vast amounts of electricity. This energy use is the core of the problem.

• Data center electricity consumption grew 17% in 2023.
• Total data center energy use now accounts for 7-10% of global electricity demand.
• Google’s total emissions for 2023 were 14.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.

The 2030 goal looks distant

Google’s stated goal is to reach “net zero” emissions across its operations and value chain by 2030. This latest data shows the company is moving in the opposite direction.

“Our approach will continue to evolve and will require us to navigate significant uncertainty,” the company wrote, acknowledging the difficulty of predicting AI’s future energy needs.

Renewable energy isn't a complete fix

Google has been a major corporate purchaser of renewable energy. However, these purchases do not fully offset the carbon footprint of its data centers, which often draw power from local grids that may rely on fossil fuels.

The company notes that the push for clean energy is happening alongside a broader increase in electricity demand. It is also exploring other technologies, like advanced geothermal and carbon capture.

A sector-wide problem

Google is not alone. Microsoft’s emissions have also risen by roughly 30% since 2020, driven by data center construction and hardware components.

The trend highlights a central tension in the tech industry: the race to develop powerful AI is colliding with corporate climate pledges. For now, it appears innovation is outpacing sustainability efforts.