Microsoft's 2025 sustainability report shows a 25% jump in emissions, driven largely by the energy needed to power new AI data centers. The company produced 34 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, with Scope 2 emissions from purchased electricity rising 25%. Microsoft is still aiming for carbon negativity by 2030, but the trend is moving in the wrong direction. The report also notes Microsoft stopped buying short-term renewable energy certificates in favor of longer-term carbon removal and clean power deals. The company has signed 40 gigawatts of clean power purchase agreements across 26 countries and matched its electricity use with clean energy. But a recent deal with Chevron to build a 2.67 GW natural gas plant in Texas has drawn criticism from climate advocates.
