Apple has slashed its GHG emissions, company reports
As we approach Earth Day April 22, Apple continues to moving forward on its commitment to become carbon neutral across its business by 2030, announcing a range of big improvements, including GHG reduction, use of recycled materials, renewable energy and more. It has also launched a special offer to customers who want to recycle non Apple devices in its stores.
A decade of positive improvements
Revealed in its annual Environmental Progress Report, the big news is that Apple claims to have surpassed a 60 percent reduction in its global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2015 levels.
Apple also says it now uses 99 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 99 percent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries. Magnets are by far the most significant use of rare earth elements in Apple products overall, and Apple-designed batteries comprise over 97 percent of Apple’s total cobalt use.
Apple’s 2030 strategy prioritizes cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent compared with its 2015 baseline year, before applying high-quality carbon credits to balance the remaining emissions.
Last year, Apple’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint — including the continued transition of its supply chain to renewable electricity and designing products with more recycled materials — helped it avoid an estimated 41 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
What Apple Said
“We’re incredibly proud of the progress we’re making toward Apple 2030, which touches every part of our business,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives.
“Today, we’re using more clean energy and recycled materials to make our products than ever before, we’re preserving water and preventing waste around the world, and we’re investing big in nature. As we get closer to 2030, the work gets even harder — and we’re meeting the challenge with innovation, collaboration, and urgency.”
Celebrating Earth Day with Apple
To celebrate Earth Day, Apple is offering customers and users a series of ways to learn and take action to protect the planet — from helping take part in recycling important materials, to enjoying content that celebrates Earth.
Through Apple Trade In and free recycling programs available at Apple Store locations around the world, customers can bring in the Apple products they no longer use for credit or to be responsibly recycled. From now until May 16, customers can receive 10 percent off an Apple accessory when they recycle an eligible item in-store.
Highlights of Apple’s progress
There are now 17.8 gigawatts of renewable electricity online in Apple’s global supply chain. This means suppliers avoided 21.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2024, up 17 percent increase from the previous year.
Apple is working across its supply chain to reduce the direct climate impact of industrial processes. This includes the manufacturing of semiconductors and flat-panel displays, both of which emit highly potent fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-GHGs).
Today, Apple is announcing that 26 of its direct semiconductor suppliers have committed to abate at least 90 percent of F-GHGs from their facilities with Apple-related production by 2030.
Many of these facilities also serve additional customers, helping this progress ripple beyond Apple. Additionally, 100 percent of the company’s direct display suppliers have made the same pledge. In 2024, display and semiconductor suppliers abated 8.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and the new commitments will accelerate that progress in the coming years.
In 2024, suppliers participating in Apple’s Zero Waste program redirected approximately 600,000 metric tons of waste from landfills, bringing the total to 3.6 million metric tons since the program’s inception in 2015.
