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Google reports its largest-ever emissions jump: +18% in 2025

Electricity use rose 37% in a single year, total emissions 18%, and freshwater consumption 34% to 10.9 billion gallons — even as operational emissions fell 2% and 12 GW of clean-energy deals were signed.

Google's 2026 Environmental Report (covering 2025) shows the scale of the AI build-out. Electricity consumption grew 37% — the largest single-year increase the company has reported — taking it more than 250% above 2019. Total greenhouse-gas emissions rose 18%, driven by Scope 3 (+25%), with data-centre construction alone contributing roughly 2.3 MtCO₂e.

Operational (Scope 1 and 2) emissions fell 2% as Google matched 100% of electricity with renewable purchases for a ninth year. Its hourly carbon-free share held roughly flat despite the surge, helped by a record 12 GW of clean-energy agreements.

Water consumption climbed 34% to 10.9 billion gallons, more than double 2021; replenishment projects returned about 78% of freshwater consumption.

Sources

  1. 1.Google's AI boom sends emissions, power use soaringAxios · Jun 30, 2026
  2. 2.Google's AI expansion weighs heavily on climate goalsTrellis · Jul 1, 2026
  3. 3.Google 2025 Environmental ReportGoogle · Jun 27, 2025