AI datacentres push big tech emissions toward France's level
Microsoft, Amazon and Google reported 119 million metric tons CO2e for the year ending March 2026—about a third of France's emissions—driven by rapid datacentre construction for AI and cloud services, up from roughly 101 million the prior year. Microsoft emissions rose 25% to about 20 million metric tons CO2e, Google 18% (helped by supply-chain factors), and Amazon 16% overall (20% in its supply chain), though all three still target net-zero by 2030–2040. Industry forecasts warn datacentre expansion could consume around 1.3% of global electricity, with about 1,200 new datacentres planned by 2030, mainly in the US, underscoring a shift of digital emissions to infrastructure.
