Google and Amazon emissions spike as AI data‑centers expand

Google and Amazon disclosed sharply higher greenhouse‑gas emissions linked to the rapid build‑out of artificial‑intelligence infrastructure. Google’s total emissions rose 82% since its 2019 baseline, with an 18% increase in the most recent year, while Amazon’s rose 58% over the same period, up 16% last year. Both firms cite data‑center construction, GPU and chip manufacturing, and the associated steel and concrete use as primary drivers. Google’s electricity consumption jumped 37% in 2025, and Amazon’s purchased‑electricity emissions grew 34% year‑on‑year. The surge threatens Google’s goal to halve its emissions by 2030 and Amazon’s pledge to reach net‑zero by 2040.

Company sustainability officers warned of the mismatch: Google sustainability director Kate Brandt said, “Our AI infrastructure deployment is accelerating faster than the grid decarbonizes,” and Amazon’s Kara Hurst noted that “the increase in demand could slow our environmental ambitions.”

The trend is prompting policy responses; the EU has softened its renewables‑for‑data‑centers rule after lobbying from Big‑Tech firms, highlighting the broader challenge of aligning AI growth with climate goals.