Apple cuts global emissions by 60 per cent and invests in recycling, renewable energy and low-emission production processes, for a more sustainable tech industry.
The technology sector occupies a central — and at the same time ambivalent — position in the ecological transition: on one hand, it offers innovative solutions capable of accelerating change; on the other, it is an integral part of an economic model based on the intensive extraction of resources and consumption dynamics that pose significant sustainability challenges.
The major tech companies find themselves in a key position: they have both the opportunity — and the responsibility — to point the way towards new directions, reduce their own footprint and influence global supply chains. Analysing the strategies of a giant like Apple therefore becomes a useful exercise for understanding how technology can truly be an ally of the environment, and what the technology sector is doing today to respond — in practice — to the sustainability mission.
On the occasion of Earth Day 2025, on 22 April, Apple published its new Environmental Progress Report. The company announced a 60 per cent reduction in its global greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2015 levels — a significant figure, especially considering that over the same period revenues increased by more than 65 per cent.
The stated goal is to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 across the entire value chain, including suppliers and end-user product use.
In support of this journey, Apple has deployed a range of diversified strategies. One indispensable commitment is accelerating the adoption of clean energy throughout the supply chain. Apple's global supply chain currently uses 17.8 gigawatts of renewable energy, the result of collaboration with suppliers, and aims to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy in the manufacturing of its products by 2030. The company is also working with suppliers to reduce the direct climate impact of industrial processes.
Another key direction is the development and use of recycled materials, which by 2024 had already reached and exceeded 99 per cent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets and 99 per cent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries. In 2024, approximately 99 per cent of the tungsten, 71 per cent of the aluminium, 53 per cent of the lithium, 40 per cent of the gold and 76 per cent of the cobalt found in the brand's products came from recycled sources. Other areas include the use of fibre-based packaging in place of plastic; improvements in device repairability; and efficiency measures throughout the supply chain.
In support of this journey, Apple has deployed a range of diversified strategies: the progressive use of renewable energy for all business operations, with a target of 100 per cent by 2030 and 17.8 gigawatts already active in the supply chain; the development and use of recycled materials, which by 2024 had already reached 99 per cent of rare earth elements in all magnets and of cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries, 71 per cent of aluminium and 40 per cent of gold; fibre-based packaging in place of plastic; improvements in device repairability; and efficiency measures throughout the supply chain.
Added to this are significant results in water conservation, with more than 90 billion gallons (over 340 billion litres) of fresh water preserved since 2013, and investments in projects for carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere through the Restore Fund: a fund launched in 2021 that aims to protect and regenerate natural ecosystems — such as forests, grasslands and wetlands — with the goal of removing at least one million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.
But the ecological transition cannot rest on corporate choices alone: individual behaviours also play a key role. For this reason, companies that genuinely wish to contribute to systemic change have a responsibility to raise awareness among their customers, promoting more sustainable and accessible habits.
The technology sector is particularly relevant in this context, given that in 2023 the average number of electronic devices owned per person globally rose from 2.4 to 3.6 compared to 2018 (Digital Economy Report 2024). This mass proliferation makes the adoption of sustainable practices essential, both on the part of manufacturers and of consumers.
In this regard, Apple has introduced several measures to actively involve consumers in its environmental strategy. Among these is the device recycling programme, which offers incentives for returning used products, and the introduction of carbon-neutral products, made with recycled materials and low-emission production processes. In addition, the company is investing in projects to match the energy consumption of its devices with renewable energy, through the development of dedicated solar and wind installations.
While the technology industry is showing positive signs of movement towards more responsible production models, it is equally clear how complex it is to reconcile innovation, sustainability and the market. The tech sector, by its very nature, is tied to rapid production and consumption cycles, with devices that tend to become obsolete within just a few years, continuously driving demand for the "next new thing".
To this are added certain structural challenges: a heavy dependence on rare resources, often extracted in fragile contexts with environmental and social impacts that are difficult to trace; the difficulty of guaranteeing truly transparent and verifiable supply chains; and the need to adopt design criteria that make devices more durable, repairable and upgradeable over time.
The strategies linked to climate neutrality, which are being increasingly adopted across the sector, also deserve close scrutiny: in many cases, actual emission reductions are accompanied by offsetting measures that, if not grounded in rigorous and verifiable criteria, risk merely displacing the problem rather than addressing its structural causes.
The commitment to increasingly sustainable technology is, in short, underway and deserves recognition. But it is equally important that the broader context in which these actions sit remains at the centre of attention: a system that still has a long way to evolve, and in which sustainability will need to become more and more a baseline requirement, not merely a virtuous option.