Google and Amazon emissions surge 16-18% as AI data centers strain climate goals

Google and Amazon have reported substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions for 2025, with AI data center infrastructure identified as the primary driver behind the surge, according to sustainability reports released this week by both companies.

Google's carbon emissions jumped 16% year-over-year, while Amazon saw an 18% increase compared to 2024. The figures, first reported by Deutsche Welle, represent a significant setback for both companies' climate commitments.

AI infrastructure outpaces clean energy transition

Google's chief sustainability officer Kate Brandt acknowledged the challenge directly: "Our AI infrastructure buildout is currently accelerating faster than the grid is decarbonizing." The company's 2025 emissions totaled 18.8 million tons of CO2 equivalent, marking an 82% increase since 2019.

Amazon's emissions reached 80.85 million tons of CO2 equivalent last year—exceeding the entire carbon footprint of countries like Austria or Greece. The company saw a 58% increase compared to its 2019 baseline.

Amazon attributed its 34% spike in electricity-related emissions to two factors: the rapid expansion of AI data centers and the electrification of its delivery fleet. Google cited the resource demands of constructing and operating data centers, plus the supply chain for chips and servers, as key contributors to its growing carbon footprint.

Climate pledges face mounting pressure

The emissions surge has cast doubt on both companies' net-zero commitments. Amazon has pledged to reach net-zero carbon by 2040, while Google aims to cut its 2019 emissions in half by 2030.

Kara Hurst, Amazon's chief sustainability officer, acknowledged uncertainty around meeting climate benchmarks. "We may be able to move faster—or the demand may slow us down," she said regarding AI technology's impact on environmental targets.

Both companies attempted to frame the data positively in their reports. Google claimed its emissions would be five times higher without decarbonization initiatives, while Amazon emphasized that its data centers are more water and energy-efficient than industry averages.

Why it matters

The emissions increases reveal a fundamental tension between the AI boom and corporate climate commitments. As businesses and governments race to deploy AI capabilities, the energy demands of training and running large models are creating measurable environmental costs that threaten to undermine years of sustainability progress. A UN report from June 2026 found that if data centers were a country, they would rank 11th globally in electricity consumption—between France and Saudi Arabia.

These details were first reported by Deutsche Welle, with reporting by Isaac Holmberg and AFP.