Redmond, Washington: Microsoft Corp. announced an ambitious goal January 16 and a new plan to reduce and ultimately remove its carbon footprint. By 2030 Microsoft plans to be carbon negative, and by 2050 to have removed from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975.
At an event at its Redmond campus, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella, President Brad Smith, Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, and Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa announced the company's new goals and a detailed plan to become carbon negative.
"While the world will need to reach net zero, those of us who can afford to move faster and go further should do so. That's why today we are announcing an ambitious goal and a new plan to reduce and ultimately remove Microsoft's carbon footprint," said Microsoft President Brad Smith.
The Official Microsoft Blog has more information about the company's bold goal and detailed plan to remove its carbon footprint: https://blogs.microsoft.com/?p=52558785.
The company announced an aggressive program to cut carbon emissions by more than half by 2030, both for its direct emissions and for its entire supply and value chain. This includes driving down its own direct emissions and emissions related to the energy it uses to near zero by the middle of this decade. It also announced a new initiative to use Microsoft technology to help its suppliers and customers around the world reduce their own carbon footprints and a new $1 billion climate innovation fund to accelerate the global development of carbon reduction, capture and removal technologies.
Beginning next year, the company will also make carbon reduction an explicit aspect of procurement processes for its supply chain. A new annual Environmental Sustainability Report will detail Microsoft's carbon impact and reduction journey. And lastly, the company will use its voice and advocacy to support public policy that will accelerate carbon reduction and removal opportunities.
More information can be found at the Microsoft microsite: https://news.microsoft.com/climate.