Apple Achieves 60% Emissions Reduction Milestone in Latest Environmental Progress Report

Apple has made significant strides in its sustainability journey, reaching a milestone 60% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2015 levels, according to its 2025 Environmental Progress Report released this week. This achievement marks substantial progress toward the company's ambitious Apple 2030 goal to become fully carbon neutral across its entire business footprint. The report, published just ahead of Earth Day, outlines several major environmental advances in recycled materials usage, clean energy adoption, and water conservation efforts.

Accelerating Progress on Emissions Reduction

Apple has intensified its decarbonization efforts, pushing from a 55% emissions reduction reported last year to over 60% in this latest report[1]. This progress represents a significant acceleration toward the company's goal of cutting emissions by 75% by 2030, with the remaining 25% to be balanced through high-quality carbon credits. The comprehensive approach spans Apple's entire value chain, including corporate operations, manufacturing, and the full product lifecycle. According to the report, the company's environmental initiatives in 2024 alone prevented approximately 41 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Using high-quality carbon credits is essential for organizations striving to become genuinely carbon neutral. These credits represent real, additional, and verifiable reductions or removals of greenhouse gases, ensuring that each credit corresponds to an actual, measurable climate benefit rather than a mere paper transaction. By adhering to rigorous standards—such as third-party verification, permanence, and prevention of double-counting—high-quality credits minimize the risk of greenwashing and reputational harm, helping organizations demonstrate authentic commitment to climate action. Furthermore, many high-quality projects deliver valuable co-benefits, such as supporting biodiversity, restoring ecosystems, and aiding local communities, thereby enhancing an organization’s overall sustainability profile. As companies work to decarbonize their operations, high-quality credits provide a credible way to address unavoidable emissions in the short term, supporting the global transition to net zero. With increasing scrutiny from investors, customers, and regulators, using high-quality credits ensures compliance with emerging standards and builds stakeholder trust. Ultimately, prioritizing quality in carbon credits is fundamental to achieving real, lasting carbon neutrality and making a meaningful contribution to the fight against climate change.

Breakthrough Achievements in Recycled Materials

The report highlights remarkable progress in Apple's circular materials strategy, with the company now using 99% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets across its product lines. This achievement is particularly significant as magnets represent the largest use of rare earth elements in Apple products overall. Similarly, Apple has reached 99% recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries, which comprise over 97% of the company's total cobalt consumption. The company has set ambitious targets to reach 100% for both materials by the end of 2025.

These accomplishments build on previous material recycling milestones, including the use of 99% recycled tungsten, 71% recycled aluminum, and significant progress with other materials like gold and lithium. In 2023, 22% of all materials shipped in Apple products came from recycled sources, demonstrating the company's steady advancement toward creating products that minimize environmental impact while maintaining Apple's rigorous standards for quality and performance.

Expanding Clean Energy Across the Supply Chain

Apple's Supplier Clean Energy Program continues to drive substantial progress in decarbonizing its manufacturing footprint. The report reveals that 17.8 gigawatts of renewable electricity are now being utilized across Apple's supply chain—a significant increase from previous years. In 2024, the renewable energy used by suppliers helped avoid 21.8 million metric tons of emissions, representing a 17% increase compared to 2023.

The program's success stems from Apple's extensive supplier engagement, with more than 320 suppliers now committed to using 100% renewable electricity for their Apple production. These suppliers represent 95% of Apple's direct spend for materials, manufacturing, and assembly worldwide, underscoring the comprehensive nature of Apple's approach to clean energy transition.

Comprehensive Water Conservation Strategy

Water stewardship remains a crucial component of Apple's environmental strategy. Since launching its Supplier Clean Water Program in 2013, Apple and its suppliers have conserved more than 90 billion gallons of fresh water. The past year alone saw savings of 14 billion gallons, with participating suppliers achieving an average water reuse rate of 42%.

Looking ahead, Apple has established a target to replenish 100% of freshwater used in high-stress areas by 2030. The company reports significant progress on this front, having initiated partnerships expected to fulfill over 40% of that goal. These water conservation efforts complement Apple's broader environmental strategy by addressing multiple dimensions of sustainability beyond carbon emissions.

Carbon-Neutral Product Portfolio Expansion

Apple continues to expand its lineup of carbon-neutral products as part of its broader environmental strategy. The 2025 report identifies several carbon-neutral offerings, including the Apple Watch Series 10, Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple Watch SE, Apple Watch Bands, and Mac mini. These products represent important steps in Apple's journey to extend carbon neutrality across its entire product portfolio.

The carbon-neutral designation reflects Apple's holistic approach to reducing emissions throughout a product's lifecycle—from design and materials sourcing to manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life recovery. This product-level strategy complements the company's broader environmental goals by providing consumers with increasingly sustainable options.

Innovations in Reducing Manufacturing Emissions

Apple's environmental efforts extend to addressing some of the most challenging emissions sources in electronics manufacturing. The report notes that 26 semiconductor suppliers, along with all of Apple's direct display suppliers, have now committed to abate at least 90% of fluorinated greenhouse gas emissions related to Apple production by 2030. This commitment addresses particularly potent greenhouse gases used in semiconductor and display manufacturing processes.

These supplier commitments reflect Apple's comprehensive approach to emissions reduction, targeting not only the most visible but also the most technically challenging aspects of its carbon footprint. By focusing on these specialized manufacturing processes, Apple is driving innovation that may benefit the broader electronics industry.

Earth Day Initiatives and Customer Engagement

As part of its Earth Day celebration, Apple is actively engaging customers in its environmental mission. The company is offering a 10% discount on accessories to customers who recycle eligible items in-store. Additionally, Apple Watch and Fitness+ users can earn a special edition award by completing a 30-minute workout on Earth Day.

These initiatives reflect Apple's understanding that environmental progress requires participation across its ecosystem—from corporate operations and manufacturing to product use and end-of-life recovery. By incentivizing recycling and raising awareness through its platforms, Apple extends its environmental impact beyond its direct operations.

The Path Forward to 2030

While celebrating significant progress, Apple acknowledges that the final stretch toward carbon neutrality by 2030 presents increasing challenges. As Lisa Jackson noted, "As we get closer to 2030, the work gets even harder—and we're meeting the challenge with innovation, collaboration, and urgency" This recognition highlights the company's awareness that the remaining emissions reductions will require even greater innovation and determination.

The report outlines Apple's continued focus on three key areas: transitioning entirely to clean energy across its value chain, maximizing the use of recycled and renewable materials, and investing in carbon removal for emissions that cannot be eliminated through other means. This multi-faceted approach underscores the complexity of achieving full carbon neutrality for a global technology company with an extensive supply chain and hundreds of millions of products in use worldwide.

As global attention on corporate climate action intensifies, Apple's progress offers insights into how large technology companies can systematically address their environmental impacts while continuing to innovate and grow.