According to impakter.com, Google’s supply chain emissions increased by 25% in 2025, driven by rapid AI infrastructure expansion — even as the company cut operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2% and signed agreements for more than 12 GW of new clean energy.
AI Growth Outpaces Grid Decarbonization
Google’s latest Environmental Report reveals a growing tension between hyper-scaling AI operations and climate accountability. While the company matched 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases for the ninth consecutive year, its supply chain — encompassing hardware manufacturing, data center construction, and AI chip procurement — emitted 25% more greenhouse gases year-on-year. The report attributes this surge to infrastructure buildout accelerating “faster than the grid is decarbonizing”, highlighting a systemic lag in upstream emissions reduction.
The company estimates its hardware, software, and clean energy investments avoided over 58 million metric tonnes of CO₂e in 2025. Its AI-enabled tools — including energy optimization models for data centers and predictive cooling systems — helped external partners avoid an additional 41 million metric tonnes.
Amazon Backs Spekboom Restoration with $500M Economic Injection
Amazon has inked a multi-year agreement to purchase 1.95 million tonnes of carbon removal credits from a nature-based restoration initiative in South Africa. The project will plant 180 million spekboom shrubs across 50,000 hectares of degraded land by the end of 2028, supporting one of the world’s largest carbon removal schemes.
Scientists confirm spekboom — a drought-tolerant succulent native to South Africa — sequesters carbon at rates comparable to young tropical forests while restoring soil moisture and biodiversity. The initiative is expected to generate more than $500 million in local economic value and create approximately 11,000 jobs in economically disadvantaged regions. The first phase — covering 10,000 hectares with 30,000 million plants — is already underway. The deal underpins a World Bank Spekboom Outcome Bond, securing long-term investor confidence through guaranteed future demand for credits.
Australian Regulator Launches Phase 2 Review of Saipem–Subsea7 Merger
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has referred Saipem’s proposed merger with Subsea7 to a Phase 2 review, citing potential harm to competition in subsea infrastructure markets critical to offshore oil and gas development. ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams stated the deal “could substantially lessen competition” in the supply of subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) — services essential for projects off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast.
The Phase 2 review may last up to 90 business days, with formal submissions accepted until 21 July 2026. Both companies operate globally and provide integrated SURF installation and maintenance services. The regulator’s intervention follows concerns that consolidation could reduce pricing transparency and limit contractor choice for major energy operators active in Australian waters.
US Heatwave Disrupts Fourth of July Celebrations, Strains Power Grids
A severe heat wave disrupted Fourth of July events across the central and eastern United States, placing more than 185 million people under heat alerts, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures reached 101°F (38°C) in Washington, D.C., forcing cancellation of the National Park Service’s Independence Day Parade and temporary closure of the Great American State Fair on the Mall.
Cities including Philadelphia, New York, and Boston scaled back or scrapped fireworks and parades due to health risks and infrastructure strain. Forecasters identified a persistent “heat dome” as the primary driver. The event also stressed regional power grids: PJM, the largest U.S. grid operator, issued conservation appeals, while Con Edison reported approximately 17,000 outages across New York.
Source: impakter.com
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
