Google net-zero and 24/7 carbon-free energy by 2030 commitment
Google / Alphabet · 14 September 2020
Google pledged to halve its emissions and run entirely on clean power around the clock by 2030. Its emissions are now far above the baseline because of AI, and its clean-energy share has stopped improving.
What it calls for
- Environmental accountability
Scope
Single company; halve scope 1-3 emissions vs 2019 and run on 24/7 CFE by 2030
What actually happened
Google's 2026 Environmental Report (released 2026-06-30) shows its total (ambition-based) 2025 footprint up 18% year on year and 81% above the 2019 baseline — Google's own blog headlines a 2% cut in operational emissions, so the two figures measure different scopes, with carbon-free energy flat at ~65% despite a 37% jump in electricity use; the company says the path 'will not be linear' (https://www.esgdive.com/news/googles-emissions-continue-to-climb-due-to-ai-buildout/824373/; https://blog.google/company-news/outreach-and-initiatives/sustainability/2026-environmental-report/). Looked for: a revised target - Google has not formally withdrawn the 2030 goals.