The combined carbon emissions of Microsoft, Amazon and Google rose by almost a fifth over the past year, driven largely by datacentre construction, reaching about a third of France's total emissions, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Microsoft, Amazon and Google's collective carbon emissions rose nearly a fifth in the past year.
- In the financial year ending March 2026, the three companies emitted 119m mTCO₂e.
- That total is about a third of France's carbon emissions.
- Datacentre construction was the largest driver of the increase.
- All three companies say they still aim to reach net zero.
The combined carbon emissions of three of the world’s largest technology companies have climbed sharply over the past year, according to the Guardian. Microsoft, Amazon and Google saw their collective emissions increase by nearly a fifth, a rise the outlet attributes largely to a boom in datacentre construction.
In the financial year ending March 2026, the three companies emitted 119m mTCO₂e (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), the Guardian reported. That figure amounts to roughly a third of the carbon emissions produced by France.
The surge comes as the technology industry races to build out the physical infrastructure needed to support growing demand for computing power. Datacentres, which house the servers behind cloud services and increasingly power-hungry applications, were identified as the primary driver of the increase.
Despite the rise in emissions, all three companies say they remain committed to achieving net zero output, according to the Guardian. The pledge stands in contrast to the trajectory of their reported emissions over the past year.
The report highlights a growing tension between the tech sector’s expansion and its stated environmental goals, as the construction of new facilities continues to add to the companies’ carbon footprints.
Why it matters
Datacentres are the backbone of the cloud and AI services that billions of people rely on, but their rapid expansion is pushing up the carbon emissions of the world's biggest tech firms. The gap between rising emissions and net zero pledges raises questions about whether the industry can grow while meeting its climate commitments.
Frequently asked questions
How much carbon did Microsoft, Amazon and Google emit last year?
In the financial year ending March 2026, the three companies emitted 119m mTCO₂e (metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent), according to the Guardian.
What is driving the increase in emissions?
The Guardian reports that the rise, of nearly a fifth over the past year, was driven largely by datacentre construction.
Are the companies still committed to net zero?
Yes. Microsoft, Amazon and Google say they still aim to achieve net zero output despite the construction boom, according to the Guardian.