Microsoft carbon emissions rose 25 percent in 2025 as AI data centers grow
Microsoft reported a 25 percent jump in carbon emissions in 2025 as it sets out to grow its use of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The emissions increase was “driven primarily by the expansion of our datacenter infrastructure and pausing our use of non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates as we prioritize investments that bring net new power to grids,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith and Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said in the new sustainability report released on Thursday.
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Microsoft reported a 25 percent jump in carbon emissions in 2025 as it sets out to grow its use of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The emissions increase was “driven primarily by the expansion of our datacenter infrastructure and pausing our use of non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates as we prioritize investments that bring net new power to grids,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith and Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said in the new sustainability report released on Thursday. “While the decision increases our reported emissions in the near term, it enables us to increase the development of new CFE [carbon-free electricity] rather than relying on certificates alone,” the report overview reads. “We believe this change will create more long-term sustainability benefits.
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- Microsoft reported a 25 percent jump in carbon emissions in 2025 as it sets out to grow its use of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. The emissions increase was “driven primarily by the expansion of our datacenter infrastructure and pausing our use of non-additional, unbundled renewable energy certificates as we prioritize investments that bring net new power to grids,” Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith and Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa said in the new sustainability report released on Thursday.
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Microsoft carbon emissions rose 25 percent in 2025 as AI data centers grow
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