Foreign media commented that Kara Hurst, Amazon's Chief Sustainability Officer, recently stated that the company is still working towards its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, but at present, it does not have a complete understanding of all the pathways to achieve this goal. The article argues that while this statement is candid, it also exposes the real contradictions between the expansion ambitions of large tech companies and their commitments to reduce emissions.

Amazon claims it still adheres to the 2040 goal

Hurst stated at an event that Amazon has not given up on its established goals, but that this task cannot be accomplished by the company alone; it also requires the cooperation of suppliers and a broader industrial chain. She later emphasized in her response to the media that climate issues need to be addressed jointly by businesses and governments.

In recent years, Amazon has continued to expand its procurement of clean energy. Hester stated that the company has for several consecutive years become one of the largest purchasers of clean energy globally, with the scale of related projects reaching 42 gigawatts. She also mentioned that Amazon's carbon intensity has decreased, which means that the emission level per unit of revenue has improved.

However, the article points out that this indicator is affected by the statistical period. According to Amazon's disclosure data from last year, its carbon intensity is lower than it was in 2022, but it has increased compared to 2024.

AI Electricity demand increases the difficulty of emission reduction

The article argues that Amazon's business covers multiple sectors such as cloud computing, aviation, agriculture, and construction, with emissions originating from various sources, making emission reduction a complex task. Moreover, with the rapid expansion of AI related infrastructure, this challenge has further intensified.

Earlier this year, a survey revealed that Amazon plans to build a 7.65 gigawatt natural gas power generation facility to supply electricity to the AI data center campus. The report mentioned that the project includes 35 turbines and could emit up to 33 million tons of carbon dioxide per year, which, if completed, could make it the largest such emission source in the United States.

In the article's view, this choice weakens Amazon's leadership stance on climate issues and also demonstrates that when AI is regarded as an important growth engine, companies tend to prioritize ensuring power supply and revenue expansion.

Reducing the cost of clean energy may not be sufficient.

The article also mentions that the climate technology industry has always hoped that as the cost of clean electricity decreases, market mechanisms will naturally drive companies to reduce emissions. However, the AI craze shows that this approach does not always work.

Comments suggest that even Amazon, which leads in the procurement of clean energy, is betting on natural gas at critical moments. This indicates that relying solely on voluntary corporate commitments and cost improvements may not be sufficient to address the additional emission pressures brought about by AI.