Microsoft committing to become carbon negative by 2030
Microsoft recently announced an ambitious goal and a new plan to reduce and ultimately remove its carbon footprint.
By 2030, the technology giant will be carbon negative, and by 2050 the brand plans to remove all the carbon from the environment, the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975.
At an event at its headquarters, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella, President Brad Smith, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, and Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa announced the company's new goals and a detailed plan to become carbon negative. The company also announced an aggressive program to cut carbon emissions by more than half by 2030, both for direct emissions and for the entire supply and value chain. This includes driving down direct emissions and emissions related to the energy it uses to near zero by the middle of this decade.
It also announced a new initiative to use Microsoft technology to help suppliers and customers around the world reduce their own carbon footprints and a new $1 billion climate innovation fund to accelerate the global development of carbon reduction, capture and removal technologies.
Beginning next year, the company will also make carbon reduction an explicit aspect of the procurement processes for its supply chain. A new annual Environmental Sustainability Report will detail Microsoft's carbon impact and reduction journey. And lastly, the company will use its voice and advocacy to support public policy that will accelerate carbon reduction and removal opportunities.
Jan. 22, 2020