Global digital companies are struggling to cut greenhouse gas emissions fast enough to meet climate targets, with the sector reporting 301 million tonnes of operational carbon dioxide emissions in 2024, even as artificial intelligence accelerates demand for computing infrastructure and electricity.
The figure, contained in the latest ‘Greening Digital Companies: Monitoring Emissions and Climate Commitments 2026’ report, represents emissions from Scope 1 and Scope 2 activities and was 1.2 percent higher than in 2023.
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The report, published by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA), assessed 200 digital companies globally using publicly disclosed data for the 2024 reporting year.
The findings highlight a growing contradiction at the heart of the digital economy: while technology companies are improving climate reporting and remain among the largest corporate buyers of renewable electricity, the rapid expansion of AI, cloud computing and digital infrastructure is increasing energy demand and putting pressure on emissions reduction efforts.
