It’s been four years since Apple first unveiled its plans to reach net zero emissions by 2030.
We’re now almost halfway through this timeline and Apple has made a number of strides towards its goal.
Scroll down to learn everything you need to know about Apple 2030, including what the aim of the pledge is, what Apple’s plan entails and how close the company is to reaching it.
What is Apple 2030?
Apple 2030 is Apple’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2030. The target was announced in July 2020, when Apple pledged that devices would have “zero climate impact” within 10 years.
Apple intends to achieve this by cutting emissions by 75% by 2030, while also developing innovative carbon removal solutions for the remaining 25% of its footprint.
“We are committed to protecting the planet. And designing products you love. Apple 2030 is our plan to do both”, states Apple on its Environment page. “By focusing on recycled and renewable materials, clean electricity and low-carbon shipping, we’re working to bring our net emissions to zero across our entire carbon footprint”.
What is being done?
Apple has broken its plan down into individual stages of the product lifecycle and the company has detailed its progress on its aforementioned Environment page.
At the design stage, 22% of materials shipped in Apple products now come from recycled and renewable sources with the goal being to one day end the company’s reliance on mining, while at the manufacturing stage, more than 320 of Apple’s suppliers have committed to using 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Packaging and shipping appear to be where Apple has made the most progress so far, with more than 97% of its product packaging now fibre-based and the company prioritising sea, rail and electric vehicle deliveries over higher-carbon routes. Meanwhile, the company is matching 100% of the expected electricity use for the Apple Watch by investing in renewable energy projects like the IP Radian Solar project.
At the final stage of the product lifecycle, Apple is maximising the materials it can recover from recycled products using technologies like its disassembly robot Daisy. Almost 40,000 tonnes of electronic materials were recycled by the company in 2023.
So, how can this progress be seen in Apple’s recent products?
The iPhone 15 features 100% recycled cobalt in its battery, along with 100% recycled tungsten in its Taptic Engine and 100% recycled gold in the wiring of its camera, the plating of multiple printed circuit boards and the USB-C connector.
The Apple Watch Series 9 is designed with 30% recycled materials, built with 100% renewable electricity and 50% or less units are shipped by air. The case is also made with 100% recycled aluminium.
The 15-inch MacBook Air (M3), meanwhile, is made from 50% recycled materials, including 100% recycled cobalt in the battery and MagSafe magnets, 100% recycled gold in the plating of multiple printed circuit boards and 100% recycled rare earth elements in all magnets. Like the Apple Watch casing, the MacBook enclosure is made with 100% recycled aluminium.
