Microsoft has pledged to be carbon negative within a decade and to remove all the emissions it has ever produced by 2050.
Moreover, from next year the company will make carbon reduction mandatory within its procurement processes.
Microsoft will halve emissions by 2030, “both for our direct emissions and for our entire supply and value chain”, according to a blog post written by company president, Brad Smith.
Smith stated that Microsoft will fund the emissions cull by stepping up its internal carbon tax, which it has levied across its divisions since 2012, using the money to fund demand reduction, clean energy and offset projects.
That tax currently stands at $15/t/CO2 and applies to scope 1 and 2 emissions. From July 2020, it will be expanded to scope 3 emissions, Smith stated.
Alongside the procurement stick, Smith added a carrot in the form of a new initiative to help suppliers and customers reduce their carbon footprints. Microsoft also announced a new $1bn climate innovation fund to speed development of carbon reduction, capture and removal technologies.
“It won’t be easy for Microsoft to become carbon negative by 2030. But we believe it’s the right goal,” wrote Smith. “And with the right commitment, it’s an achievable goal.”
Lots more detail here.
Leading corporates, councils and universities will share their decarbonisation plans at the Energyst’s free ‘Delivering Net Zero’ conference and exhibition, 22-23 April, Silverstone. Details here.
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