Apple, where Tim Cook has stepped down as chief executive, faces a new test. During Cook’s tenure, Apple pursued relatively active carbon-cutting policies in the IT industry. But as it enters the AI competition, it may become harder to keep its existing climate goals, forecasts say.

The Verge reported on Monday that Apple’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2025 were about 15.3 million tonnes, down more than 60 percent from 2015. Apple set a goal of cutting emissions 75 percent by 2030 versus 2015 and offsetting remaining emissions with high-quality carbon removal to achieve carbon neutrality across its entire business. Emissions have fallen every year since 2021, but in 2025 they stayed around the same level as the previous year. Apple explained: "Even as the business grew significantly, we curbed an increase in emissions."

Apple has also received relatively high marks for decarbonising its supply chain. Stand.earth assessed in 2023 that among Apple, Dell, Google, HP, Microsoft and Nvidia, Apple was the only company that at the time required its supply chain to target 100 percent renewable power. Greenpeace East Asia also gave Apple a B+ in its 2025 assessment. Apple’s direct suppliers procured more than 20 gigawatts of renewable energy last year.

There was also controversy. Apple promoted some Apple Watch combinations in 2023 as its first carbon-neutral products, but environmental groups criticised the disclosures on supply chain power use and emissions as insufficient, making verification difficult. A consumer class action lawsuit was also filed alleging the related wording was false or misleading advertising, but a federal court in California this year dismissed the case for now and gave the plaintiffs a chance to amend.

The biggest variable going forward is AI. Google and Microsoft have recently experienced rising greenhouse gas emissions as demand increases for AI data centres and semiconductors. Apple could face the same pressure if it expands investment in high-performance chips and cloud infrastructure. Still, there has so far been no confirmed result at Apple showing emissions have increased because of AI. Under new CEO John Turnus, the key task is expected to be whether Apple can expand AI investment while also achieving absolute emissions cuts and expanding renewable energy, to preserve the environmental legacy Cook left behind.