TORONTO and CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple today unveiled its plan to become carbon neutral across its entire business, manufacturing supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030.
The company’s global corporate operations are already carbon neutral, and the new commitment announced today means, by 2030, every Apple device sold will have net zero climate impact, says the news release.
“Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future, one born of our common concern for the planet we share,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, in the release. “The innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet — they’ve helped us make our products more energy efficient and bring new sources of clean energy online around the world. Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth. With our commitment to carbon neutrality, we hope to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change.”
(Pictured is Apple’s Montague wind farm in Oregon, one of the company’s largest renewable energy projects at 200 megawatts, which powers Apple’s Prineville data centre.)
Released today, Apple’s 2020 Environmental Progress Report details the company’s plans to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 while developing innovative carbon removal solutions for the remaining 25% of its footprint.
To support these efforts and beyond, Apple said it is establishing an Impact Accelerator that will focus on investing in minority-owned businesses that drive positive outcomes in its supply chain and in communities that are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards. This accelerator is part of Apple’s recently announced US$100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, focused on efforts that address education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform.
“We’re proud of our environmental journey and the ambitious roadmap we have set for the future,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice-president of environment, policy and social initiatives. “Systemic racism and climate change are not separate issues, and they will not abide separate solutions. We have a generational opportunity to help build a greener and more just economy, one where we develop whole new industries in the pursuit of giving the next generation a planet worth calling home.”
Apple’s 10-year roadmap aims to lower emissions with a series of innovative actions, including:
- Low carbon product design: Apple will continue to increase the use of low carbon and recycled materials in its products, innovate in product recycling and design products to be as energy efficient as possible.
- Expanding energy efficiency: Apple will identify new ways to lower energy use at its corporate facilities and help its supply chain make the same transition.
- Renewable energy: Apple will remain at 100% renewable energy for its operations — focusing on creating new projects and moving its entire supply chain to clean power.
- Process and material innovations: Apple will tackle emissions through technological improvements to processes and materials needed for its products.
- Carbon removal: Apple is investing in forests and other nature-based solutions around the world to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
The company’s complete plan and how it measures its carbon footprint can be found in its 2020 Environmental Progress Report here. Progress on its supplier commitments can be found here.
