Apple has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by more than 55% since 2015. In the company’s 2024 Environmental Progress Report, Apple updated how its efforts for a carbon-neutral company by 2030 are going so far.
Apple wants to cut greenhouse emissions by 75% from 2015 levels, meaning the company is almost there. In addition, it shares what it has been doing to achieve this and other goals to make its entire value chain carbon neutral.
“The proof of Apple’s commitment to climate action is in our progress: We’ve slashed emissions by more than half, all while serving more users than ever before,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. “More hard work is ahead of us, and we’re focused on harnessing the power of innovation and collaboration to maximize our impact.”
These are some of Apple’s commitments to become a carbon-neutral company and how it’s helping fight climate change:
Recycling critical materials: Last year, 56 percent of the cobalt shipped in Apple batteries came from recycled sources, more than double the year before. That includes the MacBook Air with M3, the first-ever Apple product to be made with 50 percent recycled material; 24 percent of the lithium shipped in Apple batteries last year came from certified recycled sources. For both lithium and cobalt, Apple is sourcing from post-industrial scrap and post-consumer scrap from end-of-life batteries. The company has also made strides with copper, using 100 percent recycled copper in key thermal applications in the iPhone 15 and the 16-inch MacBook Pro, as well as the Taptic Engine and printed circuit boards across many product lines in the last year.
Clean electricity for suppliers: The ongoing transition to clean electricity across Apple’s supply chain has driven the majority of emissions reductions so far, with Apple’s Supplier Clean Energy Program now supporting over 16.5 gigawatts of renewable energy around the world. And by prioritizing energy efficiency in collaboration with Apple, more than 100 supplier facilities achieved over 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity savings last year.
Removing plastic from products: Apple has been using fiber-based plastic alternatives to provide an “unmatched unboxing experience for customers” while removing plastic from the boxes. In the last year, Apple reached a milestone with the release of its first-ever 100 percent fiber-based packaging in the new Apple Watch lineup and for Apple Vision Pro. Across every product Apple shipped last year, only 3 percent of the packaging was made from plastic, says the company
High-quality carbon removal projects: In the roadmap to achieve its Apple 2030 climate goal, Apple is prioritizing direct emissions reductions across all operations and its supply chain. For residual emissions that are difficult to avoid with today’s available solutions, the company is investing in high-quality, nature-based carbon projects, including through its Restore Fund.
You can learn more about Apple’s initiative to become a carbon-neutral company by 2030 here.
