Microsoft's total carbon emissions jumped 25% year over year, according to its latest sustainability report. The increase is tied to the company's massive buildout of AI data centers, many of which rely on fossil fuels like natural gas instead of the hydropower that powers its Washington facilities. A planned off-grid site in West Virginia will run entirely on natural gas generators, adding to the footprint. Microsoft still aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and remove all historic emissions by 2050. But the AI boom is making that harder. The company is shifting from buying renewable energy certificates to signing long-term contracts for new clean power. It is also investing in green steel and low-carbon concrete for construction. Whether these steps can offset the rapid growth in data center emissions remains an open question.
