Apple calls for global supply chain to decarbonize by 2030

October 25, 2022

UPDATE

Apple calls for global supply chain to decarbonize by 2030

Company Accelerates Work with Suppliers to Decarbonize Apple-Related Production and Expands Investments in Clean Energy and Climate Solutions Worldwide

Apple today called on its global supply chain to take further action to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and take a comprehensive approach to decarbonization. The company will assess the work of its key manufacturing partners to decarbonize their Apple-related operations — including running on 100% renewable electricity — and track annual progress. Apple has been carbon neutral for its global corporate operations since 2020 and is focused on its ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral across its entire global supply chain and every product lifecycle.

As the impacts of climate change are increasingly felt around the world, Apple also announced new initiatives and investments to help decarbonize the global economy and promote innovative climate solutions for communities. These include significant investment in renewable energy across Europe, partnerships to help businesses transition to clean energy and new support for projects that advance natural carbon removal and climate solutions. communities around the world.

“Addressing climate change remains one of Apple’s most pressing priorities, and times like this put those words into action,” said Tim Cook, Apple CEO. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with our suppliers to make Apple’s supply chain carbon neutral by 2030. Climate action at Apple does not stop at our doorsteps, and in this work we We are determined to be a ripple in the pond. It creates greater change.

Mobilizing supply chain climate action

As part of Apple’s Supplier Pledge, the company is partnering with its global supply chain to call for accelerated action to achieve carbon neutrality for their Apple-related business operations. The company requires reporting on progress toward these goals — specifically Apple’s production-related Scope 1 and Scope 2 emission reductions — and will track and audit progress annually. Apple will partner with suppliers who are working with urgency and making measurable progress toward decarbonization.

Additionally, Apple encourages suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond their Apple production, prioritizing clean energy. As part of the company’s work to meet its 2030 goal, Apple has reduced emissions by 40% since 2015, largely through improvements in energy efficiency, low-carbon design, carbon neutrality for the company’s operations and the transition of its supply chain to renewable electricity. .

More than 200 suppliers representing more than 70% of Apple’s direct manufacturing spend have already committed to using clean energy like wind or solar for all of Apple’s production. Major manufacturing partners – including Corning Incorporated, Nitto Denko Corporation, SK hynix, STMicroelectronics, TSMC and Yuto – have committed to powering all Apple production with 100% renewable energy.

To help suppliers meet their commitments and go even further, Apple offers a suite of free e-learning resources and live training as part of its clean energy program, and works closely with its suppliers and local partners to identify effective solutions for renewable energy and carbon removal. More than 150 supplier representatives participated in live trainings this year alone. Apple plans to donate these resources to create a one-of-a-kind, free public training platform for companies in many different industries, ensuring that companies of all sizes – in Apple’s supply chain and across beyond – will have access to resources and advocacy networks needed to accelerate their transition to 100% clean energy and carbon neutrality.

Develop clean energy to meet customer product usage

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

The European investments are part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce the roughly 22% of its carbon footprint from the electricity customers use to charge their devices. Where possible, Apple plans to bring clean energy projects online in carbon-intensive grids, further impacting the European power sector at a time when renewable energy generation is much needed. Earlier this year, the company announced new renewable energy projects in the United States and Australia designed to meet customer product usage.

Customers in the United States can now play a part in reducing iPhone’s carbon footprint with Clean Energy Charging. Available starting this month in the US via iOS 16, the new feature looks at electricity sources during expected charging times and optimizes when the grid uses cleaner energy sources like power. solar or wind. To continue advancing climate-smart decision-making for customers, employees, and partners, Apple has joined the University of California, Berkeley’s CoolClimate Network, a research partnership aimed at motivating and empowering individuals and organizations to make low-carbon choices.

Advancing equitable and financially viable climate solutions around the world

Apple also today announced three new projects through the Restore Fund, a first-of-its-kind carbon removal initiative that aims to generate a financial return while removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In partnership with Conservation International and Goldman Sachs, Apple has invested with three high-quality forest managers in Brazil and Paraguay to restore 150,000 acres of certified sustainable working forests and protect approximately 100,000 acres of native forests, grasslands and areas wet.

Together, these initial forestry projects are expected to remove 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2025. To accurately monitor, report, and audit the carbon removal impact of projects, Apple is working with partners to analyze satellite imagery and deploy innovative remote sensing technologies.

As Apple continues to make progress in reducing emissions by 75% by 2030, the company is prioritizing high-quality nature-based solutions for the remaining 25% of emissions that are unavoidable with existing technologies . At the same time, Apple is working to drive entirely new solutions, including supporting Carbon Direct’s analysis identifying pathways for sustainable aviation fuel development.

In addition to the Restore Fund projects, Apple today announced new partnerships to advance community climate solutions around the world:

• In Namibia and Zimbabwe, Apple is working with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to promote climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods through the Climate Crowd program. Climate Crowd works hand-in-hand with communities facing the worst impacts of climate change to build resilience and develop alternative livelihoods that depend on preserving and restoring natural resources in the region – from face-smart agriculture climate, beekeeping and rainwater harvesting. In this region, the program also supports interventions such as clean cookstoves that help communities obtain the essential energy resources they need without depleting the natural resources around them.

• In China, Apple has partnered with the China Green Carbon Foundation to conduct research, demonstrate best practices, and build stakeholder networks around the goal of increasing the quantity and quality of managed natural carbon sinks by responsible manner. The partnership will support the identification and mapping of priority areas in Sichuan Province, as well as the development of best practice guidelines and forest management methods that could be replicated in other regions. Apple will also support a pilot project in Chengdu to demonstrate the potential for carbon removal in urban and semi-urban areas, which will help establish best practices for delivering carbon removal projects in urban China. and improve climate adaptation and resilience.

• In the Chyulu Hills region of Kenya, Apple has partnered with Conservation International since 2020 to demonstrate that better livestock management can help restore crucial rangelands, store carbon and create resilient pastoral livelihoods. to climate across Africa. To date, the project has trained hundreds of local Maasai community members in updated rangeland management techniques, including more sustainable grazing practices, reduced soil erosion, natural regeneration and creation of grass seed banks run by women.

• In Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, Apple is launching a new partnership with ChangemakerXchange to strengthen climate action and leadership in the region. By creating a network to connect, build and elevate youth-led climate innovation, Apple will help connect solutions to funding opportunities and improve climate leadership skills. The initiative will be launched in Egypt during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) and over the next two years will support a group of 100 changemakers and social innovators – 50 from Europe and 50 from the Middle -East and North Africa.

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