Innovating sustainable ideas. Growing renewable solutions.

In 2021, we set a goal to reach net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030. Our approach will continue to evolve and will require us to navigate significant uncertainty — including the uncertainty around the future environmental impact of AI, which is complex and difficult to predict. In addition, solutions for some key global challenges don’t currently exist, and will depend heavily on the broader clean energy transition.

As our business and industry continue to evolve, we expect our total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to rise before dropping toward our absolute emissions reduction target.

For our Net Zero goal, we aim to achieve net-zero GHG emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030 by reducing 50% of our combined Scope 1, Scope 2 (market-based), and Scope 3 absolute emissions (compared to our 2019 base year) by 2030, and investing in nature-based and technology-based carbon removal solutions to neutralize our remaining emissions. We’ve formally committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to validate our absolute emissions reduction target. We’ll proactively monitor the evolution of global standards to ensure our definition maintains general alignment while maximizing our positive impact on the planet.

Carbon-free energy (CFE) is any type of electricity generation that doesn’t directly emit carbon dioxide, including (but not limited to) solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear. Sustainable biomass and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are special cases considered on a case-by-case basis, but are often also considered carbon-free energy sources.

Google is one of the world’s largest corporate buyers of clean energy and leaders in advancing clean energy technologies. In 2017, Google became the first major company to match 100% of our annual electricity consumption on a global basis with renewable energy, which we’ve achieved every year since. And in 2024, we signed contracts to purchase approximately 4 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy generation capacity — more than in any prior year in our history.

Building on our first two decades of progress, in 2020 we launched our third decade of climate action — our most ambitious yet. We have a bold goal to reach net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030, supported by a goal to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy (CFE) on every grid where we operate.

We also strive to build the world’s most energy-efficient computing infrastructure, supported by responsible water use practices and a commitment to minimizing waste. Our data centers remain some of the most efficient in the world, and we continue working to optimize their use of electricity, water, and materials. In 2023, the average annual power usage effectiveness (PUE) for our global fleet of data centers was 1.10, compared with the industry average of 1.58 — meaning that Google data centers used about 5.8 times less overhead energy for every unit of IT equipment energy.

For more details, check out our latest Environmental Report.

We buy electricity directly from new clean energy projects through various methods depending on the market, including: contracting directly via long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs); working with utilities or developers to buy and deliver carbon-free energy (CFE); structuring energy supply contracts with energy providers; and making targeted investments in renewable energy to enable additional projects on the grid. See the 2024 Google Environmental Report (p. 36) for more information.

Google is committed to being an active member in the communities we call home. Close collaboration with community leaders, local utilities, and local organizations is a priority for us to identify opportunities for meaningful community and global support.

Scaling AI and using it to accelerate climate action are just as crucial as addressing the environmental impact associated with it. To help minimize our environmental footprint, we’ve built world-leading efficient infrastructure for the AI era and use tested practices to reduce the carbon footprint of workloads. AI has the potential to help mitigate 5–10% global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Water plays an important role in our data centers — cooling our servers, regulating indoor temperatures, and keeping our products up and running. In fact, water cooling has been shown to help reduce energy consumption and related carbon emissions when compared to air-based cooling. While it will take more time for electricity grids to decarbonize, we’ll continue using water cooling to improve our energy efficiency in certain geographies. Recognizing that this tradeoff will increase our data center water footprint, we’re prioritizing responsible water use and water replenishment at new sites from the start.

In consultation with a team of water experts, Google developed a peer-reviewed, context-based Water Risk Framework to evaluate local watershed risk at new sites to guide decision-making on whether to use a freshwater source for evaporative cooling.

Google aims to “return” or improve the water quality and ecosystem health in the watersheds and communities where we operate through investments in water stewardship projects.