Apple to fast-track decarbonisation of devices' production by 2030

For the past few years, Apple is running its global operations using 100 per cent renewable energy. Now, the Cupertino-based company is urging its global supply partners to turn carbon neutral by the end of this decade.

Apple has announced the evaluation of the works of its major manufacturing partners and to fast-track their efforts of decarbonisation of device-related operations.

The company is collaborating with its worldwide supply partners for accelerated action to achieve carbon neutrality for its Apple-related corporate operations. The company requires reporting on progress toward --Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reductions related to Apple production — and will track and audit annual progress.

For the uninitiated, Scope 1 means the direct carbon emission during the manufacturing and procuring of building materials. And, Scope 2 is related to carbon emissions during the generation of electricity to run factories.

Apple wants the factories to be run on 100 per cent renewable electricity and will track yearly progress.

It should be noted that in 2020, Apple set an ambitious target of turning the company and its supply partner and even making the life cycle of each of its products, carbon neutral by 2030, 20 years ahead of the target set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

In that effort, the Cupertino-based company has made steady progress. As mentioned earlier, its corporate operations are run on 100 per cent renewable energy. Also, more than 200 direct suppliers and contractual manufacturers around the world including the ones in India have pledged to achieve net-zero climate impact across the entire global supply chain and life cycle of every product by the end of this decade.

Apple supply partners such as Corning Incorporated, Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., SK hynix, STMicroelectronics, TSMC, and Yuto — are said to have committed to power all Apple production with 100 percent renewable energy.

"As part of Apple’s commitment to clean energy, the company has sourced renewable energy to power all of its corporate offices, retail stores, and data centers in 44 countries since 2018, and its suppliers have brought more than 10 gigawatts of clean power online around the world. Building on this progress, Apple plans to facilitate the construction of large-scale solar and wind projects in Europe, with projects ranging between 30 and 300 megawatts — following an initial request for proposals issued earlier this year. Over the next several years, the company aims to procure enough renewable energy to power all Apple devices on the continent with low-carbon electricity, while continuing to power corporate offices, retail stores, and data centers with 100 percent clean energy. In total, the planned investments will add 3,000 gigawatt hours of new renewable energy on the grid," the company noted.

And also, Apple has reduced the use of plastic in the retail packaging of its products. Also, fiber-based materials are obtained from responsibly managed resources.

And, as part of the climate change solution, Apple announced three new projects as part of the Restore Fund, a carbon removal programme.

With the partnership with Conservation International and Goldman Sachs, Apple is investing in three forestry managers in Brazil and Paraguay to restore 150,000 acres of sustainably certified working forests and protect around 100,000 acres of native forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

Apple is allowing customers in the United States to play a role in decreasing the carbon footprint of their iPhones with Clean Energy Charging. This month, with the new iOS 16 update, a new feature is being introduced to iPhones. It will look at the sources of electricity during expected charge times and optimises for when the grid is using cleaner energy sources like solar or wind.

Clean energy charging feature for iPhones in the US. Credit: Apple

Furthermore, Apple in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) plans to promote climate-sustainable livelihoods for underprivileged people in Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Also, Apple is joining hands with ChangemakerXchange to strengthen climate action in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.It plans to create the link, fund and support system to uplift youth leaders in climate innovation.

The initiative is slated to launch in Egypt at the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP27), and over the next two years, Apple is said to support a group of 100 change-makers and social innovators — 50 from Europe and 50 from the Middle East and North Africa.

Here in the east, Apple is partnering with China Green Carbon Foundation to conduct research, demonstrate best practices, and build stakeholder networks around the goal of increasing the amount and quality of responsibly managed nature-based carbon sinks.

Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech.