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Progress and impact

Advancing sustainability

Sustainability has been a core value for Google since it was founded, more than two decades ago. Our work is focused on three key pillars: empowering individuals to take action, working together with our partners and customers, and operating our business sustainably. As we enter our third decade of climate action, we’re setting ambitious goals for ourselves. We’re pursuing net-zero emissions1 across our operations and value chain by 2030. This is supported by our ambitious clean energy goal to operate our data centers and office campuses on 24/7 carbon-free energy, such as solar and wind.2


1We are aiming to reduce 50% of our combined absolute Scope 1, 2 (market-based), and 3 absolute greenhouse gas emissions when compared to a 2019 base year, and planning to invest in nature-based and technology-based carbon removal solutions to neutralize our remaining emissions. 2Carbon-free energy is any type of electricity generation that doesn’t directly emit carbon dioxide, including (but not limited to) solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and nuclear. Sustainable biomass and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are special cases considered on a case-by-case basis, but are often also considered carbon-free energy sources.

Advancing sustainability

Operating sustainably

We always start with how we can operate our business more sustainably.

  • Operating on carbon-free energy 24/7 by 2030

Google aims to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where we operate by 2030. We’re working to achieve 24/7 CFE through three main initiatives: purchasing carbon-free energy, accelerating new and improved technologies, and transforming the energy system through partnerships and advocacy.

  • Enabling 5 GW of new carbon-free energy through investments in our key manufacturing regions by 2030

In addition to purchasing renewable energy for our own operations, we also make targeted investments in renewable energy. Investment in renewable capacity is a scalable approach to creating system-level change by driving grid decarbonization and enabling greater access to carbon-free energy. This is especially significant in markets where credible procurement mechanisms for clean energy are nascent or nonexistent. We aim to invest in clean energy projects that reduce emissions and serve manufacturing operations across our supply chain.

Working together

By organizing information about our planet and making it actionable through technology and platforms, Google can help partners and customers create even more positive impact.

  • Data

Google has curated a large catalog of Earth observation datasets in the Earth Engine Data Catalog and created Environmental Insights Explorer, which empowers thousands of cities and regions with actionable data and insights to reduce global emissions. More recently, Google also built Data Commons, an opensource tool to organize hundreds of public sustainability datasets into a single, accessible resource.

  • AI

As an AI-first company, Google has established a track record of applying AI to some of the most significant challenges facing humanity, such as environmental degradation and climate change. AI is embedded into many of our sustainability initiatives—including detecting and forecasting floods and wildfires, helping people and cities adapt to extreme heat, and protecting critical species habitat. Google is leveraging this unique suite of capabilities in three key ways: supporting partners, investing in breakthrough innovation, and creating ecosystems for collaboration.

  • Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation

Launched in 2022, the Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation allocates up to $30 million to support breakthrough projects that use data and technology to accelerate climate action. Examples of other sustainability-focused investments include: AI for the Global Goals, $25 million in funding to support the development of new AI-driven approaches that accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals; and a $10 million grant to ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability to support 10 nonprofit-led projects that help cities accelerate their sustainable transition through data-driven environmental and climate action at the local level.

Empowering individuals

At Google, we have an opportunity to lead the transition to a more sustainable future by making information accessible and by driving innovation forward. Grounded in our mission, we’re empowering people with the high-quality information they’re looking for. Through our products and platforms that billions of users engage with every day, we’re helping people make decisions that can drive positive action for our planet.

We’re helping people make more sustainable choices through our products through innovative solutions offered to users, including:

  • Google Nest: Programmable energy efficiency schedules for homes that can help users save energy, money, and carbon emissions throughout the day.
  • Google Maps: Fuel-efficient routing feature that shows users the most fuel-efficient route, based on factors such as traffic and road incline.
  • Google Travel: Users can see associated carbon emissions for nearly every flight, sustainability certifications and attributes for hotels, and quickly find more sustainable options.