Environmental Initiatives
As part of the Apple 2030 initiative and its broader environmental commitment, Apple has made several noteworthy changes. The company has eliminated the use of leather in all its product lines and introduced entirely fiber-based packaging for the new Apple Watch range. Furthermore, Apple continues to incorporate recycled materials into its iPhones. They have also launched a helpful tool called Grid Forecast within the Home app, assisting users in choosing cleaner energy sources for their electricity consumption.
Carbon Neutrality Goals
Apple is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions from its products by prioritizing electricity, materials, and transportation throughout the product’s life cycle. After making significant reductions in product emissions, Apple applies high-quality carbon credits from nature-based projects to offset emissions that cannot be reduced further with current solutions. Each carbon-neutral Apple Watch model meets specific criteria, such as using 100 percent clean electricity for manufacturing and operation, incorporating 30 percent recycled or renewable materials by weight, and ensuring that 50 percent of shipping doesn’t rely on air transportation. These combined efforts result in a minimum of 75 percent less emissions for each model. Apple uses high-quality carbon credits to offset the remaining emissions, making every carbon-neutral Apple Watch footprint a certified product by SCS Global Services.
The Journey to 2030
Apple’s first carbon-neutral products are the outcome of years of innovation throughout the company and its global supply chain. They represent the latest step in a journey that started more than a decade ago. In 2020, Apple achieved carbon neutrality for its global corporate operations and announced the Apple 2030 strategy, aiming for carbon neutrality across its entire value chain by 2030. Apple’s approach includes a substantial 75 percent reduction in overall carbon emissions compared to 2015 levels. By expanding renewable energy sources, using recycled and renewable materials, and avoiding carbon-generating activities, Apple has already reduced total emissions by over 45 percent since 2015 while increasing revenue by more than 65 percent during the same period.
Investing in High-Quality Carbon Removal
After significantly reducing emissions from its products, Apple plans to offset any remaining emissions by investing in high-quality carbon credits. These credits come from projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere by restoring areas like grasslands, wetlands, and forests. This is crucial for combating climate change and meeting global climate goals, as recognized by scientific organizations like the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
