1、Environmental Report2023Whats insideAbout this reportGoogles 2023 Environmental Report provides an overview of our environmental sustainability strategy and targets and our annual progress towards them.1 This report features data,performance highlights,and progress against our targets from our 2022

2、fiscal year(January 1 to December 31,2022).It also mentions some notable achievements from the first half of 2023.After two years of condensed reporting,were sharing a deeper dive into our approach in one place.ADDITIONAL RESOURCES2023 Environmental Report:Executive SummarySustainability.googleSusta

3、inability reportsSustainability blogOur commitmentsAlphabet environmental,social,and governance(ESG)About GoogleIntroduction 3Executive letters 4Highlights 6Our sustainability strategy 7Targets and progress summary 8Emerging opportunities 9Empowering individuals 12Our ambition 13Our approach 13Helpi

4、ng people make 14 more sustainable choices Reducing home energy use 14Providing sustainable transportation options 17 Sharing other actionable information 19The journey ahead 19Working together 20Our ambition 21Our approach 21Supporting partners 22Investing in breakthrough innovation 28Creating ecos

5、ystems for collaboration 29The journey ahead 30Operating sustainably 31Our ambition 32Our operations 32Net-zero carbon 33Water stewardship 49Circular economy 55Nature and biodiversity 67Spotlight:Building a more sustainable campus in Mountain View73 Governance and engagement 75About Google 76Sustain

6、ability governance 76Risk management 77Stakeholder engagement 78Public policy and advocacy 79Partnerships 83Awards and recognition 84Appendix 85Reporting approach and methodology 86Environmental data tables 90Environmental reporting frameworks index 96Endnotes 101Glossary 103 22023 Environmental Rep

7、ort IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 32023 Environmental Report IntroductionExecutive lettersSVP of Learning and SustainabilityChief Sustainability OfficerHighlightsOur sustainability strategyTargets and progress summaryEmerging

8、 opportunitiesAI for sustainabilityOur gigaton aspirationIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 42023 Environmental Report Executive lettersA letter from our Senior Vice President of Learning and SustainabilityI was introduced to the

9、problem of climate change in the late 1980s through a prescient class I took as an undergraduate.The models were less sophisticated and more uncertain than they are today,but the implications were already worrying.Thirty years later much has changed.The threat is now more immediate,but the world is

10、also taking actionfrom governmental policy and technology innovation to actions by individuals and organizationsdriven by a broader awareness of the danger.I worked on Search for 20 years,leading the product for many of those,and learned a lot about the unique impact Google can have on the world.Ive

11、 always been proud of Googles leadership in pushing the boundaries of sustainability in our data centers,including achieving carbon neutrality in 2007(at the time,such accomplishments were uncommon).Going further,weve matched 100%of our global electricity use with renewable energy purchases for the

12、last six yearsa goal that seemed almost crazy when we set it in 2012.Today our ambitions have evolvedwe now have a bold goal to achieve net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain,and as part of that goal,to run on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where we operate.The path t

13、o get to these goals is difficult,and were committed to working through the challenges we face with the ultimate aim of driving larger systems change to create a more sustainable future.Further,predicting the future growth of energy use and emissions from AI compute in our data centers is difficult.

14、Despite this,we remain focused on developing new ways to make AI computing more efficient while leveraging the opportunities that AI presents to have a positive environmental impact.Beyond our own footprint,Googles founding mission“Organize the worlds information and make it universally accessible a

15、nd useful”can play a very important role in accelerating progress in climate information and action.A sustainable future will be built upon billions of decisions made by governments,organizations,and individuals,which will need to be grounded in good information.Increasingly,we see through Google Tr

16、ends that more and more people are looking for ways to live sustainably.I believe that we have many strengths and capabilities in providing quality information that people are seeking to make decisions thatll drive positive action for our planet.Helpful information can be critical in both efforts to

17、 reduce emissions as well as adapt to extreme climate events like floods,wildfires,and heat waves.But this information often lives in silos and is hard to access.Making the information accessible and useful can be a tough technical challenge.Our products like Environmental Insights Explorer,Earth En

18、gine,and Data Commons are key solutions to support the decisions that cities and organizations will have to make.Information can also have a significant impact on the decisions of individualsparticularly in the areas of home energy and transportation.Our products like Maps,Search,and Nest reach bill

19、ions of users around the world,and were building many features to respond to the demand for that information in our products.Given the scale of the problem,innovation will also be key to getting us to a better future.In order to push the frontiers of innovation,Google has long had a world-class rese

20、arch organization thats been at the forefront of AI and machine learning.These solutions can help in predicting more extreme weather(flood forecasting,for instance),optimizing systems from traffic lights to car routes,and mitigating climate change in new ways,for example.In our 2023 Environmental Re

21、port,were highlighting how these themes of information and innovation run through much of our work:For information,well feature Google Trends insights alongside key initiatives to show how our work is informed by societal trends andexpectations.And for innovation,well call out the many places where

22、AI is helping to break down barriers and advance our work.Over my tenure at Google,Ive seen how weve been working to integrate sustainability into our work.This transition is going to be challengingboth for us and for the world at largeand theres no playbook for making it happen.But we see our effor

23、ts as part of a bigger picture,setting our goals to help scale global solutions,and Im optimistic that we can,through our efforts in both information and innovation,play a helpful role in building a more sustainable and resilient future.Benedict GomesBenedict GomesSVP,Learning&SustainabilityGoogleBy

24、 making information accessible and accelerating innovation,we can help create a more sustainable future.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 52023 Environmental Report A letter from our Chief Sustainability OfficerI grew up in Muir

25、Beach,California,and was fortunate to spend my childhood exploring its beautiful redwood forests and vibrant tidepools with my family.Today,Im raising my daughter in these same special places,but now these delicate ecosystems are threatened,just like many other parts of the world.Climate change affe

26、cts all aspects of society,from food production and human health to infrastructure and the economy.These impacts are interconnected and can have a cascading effect on people and the planet.The response calls for systemic,global action to reduce emissions,improve watershed health,maximize the reuse o

27、f finite resources,and protect biodiversity.Since Google was founded,our efforts to mitigate climate change have started with our own operations,and weve worked hard to lead by example with the ultimate goal of driving larger systemic change.In our third decade of climate action,well continue to tak

28、e a science-based approach to our efforts,while sharing our own lessons and progress with others.I joined Google eight years ago to lead our sustainability efforts,and have witnessed our sense of urgency and ambition firsthand.Were empowering individuals,governments,businesses,and other organization

29、s to make decisions that can drive positive action for people and our planet.The opportunity we have through our products and platforms is reflected in our updated environmental sustainability strategy,which focuses on where we can make the most significant positive impact.Our work is organized arou

30、nd three key pillars:empowering individuals to take action,working together with our partners and customers,and operating our businesssustainably.In 2022,we reached our goal to help 1 billion people make more sustainable choices through our products.We achieved this by offering sustainability featur

31、es like eco-friendly routing in Google Maps,energy efficiency features in Google Nest thermostats,and carbon emissions information in Google Flights.Looking ahead,our aspiration is to help individuals,cities,and other partners collectively reduce 1 gigaton of their carbon equivalent emissions annual

32、ly by 2030.2After two years of condensed reporting,were sharing a deeper dive into our approach in one place in our 2023 Environmental Report.In 2022,we continued to make measurable progress in many key ways,such as:We enhanced and launched new sustainabilityproduct features,such as eco-friendly rou

33、ting inMaps,which is estimated to have helped preventmore than 1.2 million metric tons of carbon emissionsfrom launch through 2022equivalent to takingapproximately 250,000 fuel-based cars off the roadfor a year.3We expanded the availability of Google EarthEnginewhich provides access to reliable,up-t

34、o-date insights on how our planet is changingtoinclude businesses and governments worldwide as anenterprise-grade service through Google Cloud.We opened our new Bay View campus,which isall-electric,net water-positive,restores over 17 acresof high-value nature,and incorporates the leadingprinciples o

35、f circular design.We signed 20 more renewable energy agreements,bringing our total to more than 80 agreementstotaling approximately 10 GW of clean energygeneration capacitywe estimate well spendapproximately$10 billion to purchase clean energythrough 2040.4We expect this new era of technological inn

36、ovation to open up even greater opportunities to accelerate system-level change.Its a big part of the reason were optimistic about whats possible in the years ahead.If we move forward collectively and decisively,theres no limit to what we can achieve.Kate E.BrandtKate E.BrandtChief Sustainability Of

37、ficerGoogleIn 2022,we signed contracts for approximately 2.8 GW of clean energy generation capacitymore than in any prior year.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 62023 Environmental Report HighlightsThis section provides a snapsho

38、t of our highlights as of the end of 2022,and select highlights from the first half of 2023.For a more complete overview of our performance over time,see the Targets and progress summary section and our Environmental data tables.Empowering individuals1 billion users Our core products helped more tha

39、n 1 billion users make more sustainable choices in 20221.2 million metric tonsof estimated carbon emissions reductions enabled by Google Maps eco-friendly routing as of the end of 2022equivalent to taking approximately 250,000 fuel-based cars off the road for ayear5113 billion kWhof energy cumulativ

40、ely saved by customers using Nest thermostats from 2011 to 20226more than double Portugals annual electricity consumption7 and equivalent to preventing an estimated 36 million tCO2e emissions8 99%of itineraries on Google Flights included carbon emissions estimatesWorking together40,000+citiesEnviron

41、mental Insights Explorer made actionable climate data available to more than 40,000 cities and provided Tree Canopy Insights to more than 350 cities400 startupssupported by our Startups for Sustainable Development program in over 60 countries,and global researchers,academics,and NGOs supported with

42、climate-and nature-related data and analytics 80 countriesare included in our Flood Hub platform,covering 460 million people globally,and real-time wildfire boundaries in Search and Maps are available in cities around the world 100s of sourcesof sustainability data,from most OECD countries,aggregate

43、d by Data Commonsmaking data more accessible and useful for addressing sustainability challengesOperating sustainably10+GWof clean energy generation capacity from more than 80 signed agreements from 2010 to 2022the equivalent capacity of more than 31 million solarpanels271 million gallonsof water re

44、plenished as of the end of 2022equivalent to more than 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools100%of Pixel,Nest,and Chromecast devices launched in 2022 include recycled materials9 44 acresof native habitat restored on our Bay Area campuses as of the end of 2022IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGove

45、rnance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 72023 Environmental Report Our sustainability strategyWe believe Google has a unique opportunity that extends beyond managing the environmental impacts of our own operations and value chain.By making information accessible and by driving inn

46、ovation forward through our products and platforms that billions of people engage with every day,were helping individuals,businesses,and other organizations make decisions that can drive positive action for people and our planet.In shaping our strategy,we consider where we can make the most signific

47、ant positive impact.Our work is focused on three key pillars:empowering individuals to take action,working together with our partners and customers,and operating our businesssustainably.Information and innovationWere helping to lead the transition to a more sustainable future by making information a

48、ccessible and by driving innovation forward.Empowering individuals to take actionWere empowering people with the information theyre seeking to help make more sustainable choices in their everyday lives.Learn more in the Empowering individuals sectionWorking together with our partners and customersWe

49、re helping partners and customers to reduce their emissions and achieve sustainability goals by advancing transformative technology for sustainability and climate action.Learn more in the Working together sectionOperating our business sustainablyWere building on our legacy of sustainability leadersh

50、ip by accelerating the transition to a net-zero carbon future,advancing water stewardship,building a circular economy,and protecting nature and biodiversity.Learn more in the Operating sustainably sectionIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking

51、together 82023 Environmental Report Targets and progress summaryTopicTargetUnit20212022Target yearStatusProduct impactHelp 1 billion people make more sustainable choices through our More than Achieved ProductsUsersN/A2022products by 20221 billion10(see pg.14)Operational targetsNet-zero carbonAchieve

52、 net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030Carbon Reduce 50%of our combined Scope 1,2(market-based),Ongoing tCO2e emissionsN/A10.2 million11 before 2030reductionand 3 absolute emissions(versus our 2019 baseline)before 2030(see pg.36)Carbon-free Ongoing Run on 24/7 carbon

53、-free energy on every grid where we operate by 2030%carbon-free energy66%64%122030energy(see pg.43)Water stewardshipReplenish more water than we consume and help improve water quality and ecosystem health in the communities where we operateWater Replenish 120%of the freshwater volume we consume,%fre

54、shwater Ongoing N/A6%2030replenishmenton average,across our offices and data centers by 2030replenished(see pg.52)Circular economyMaximize the reuse of finite resources across our operations,products,and supply chainsData%of data centers at Ongoing Achieve Zero Waste to Landfill for our global data

55、center operations30%38%N/AcentersZero Waste to Landfill(see pg.57)Ongoing OfficesDivert all food waste from landfill by 2025%food waste divertedN/A85%2025(see pg.60)Consumer hardware productsUse recycled or renewable material in at least 50%of plastic used across%recycled/Ongoing 36%41%2025our consu

56、mer hardware product portfolio by 2025renewable material(see pg.62)%plastic-free Ongoing Make product packaging 100%plastic-free by 202597%96%2025packaging(see pg.63)Significant Achieve UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill certification at all final Supply chain%of sites certified9%90%2022progress assembl

57、y consumer hardware manufacturing sites by 2022(see pg.65)IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 92023 Environmental Report Emerging opportunitiesAs the world becomes increasingly aware of the need for sustainability,individuals,busin

58、esses,and communities are looking for new ways to reduce their environmental impact.Artificial intelligence(AI)and the power of information to help individuals and organizations reduce emissions are two emerging opportunities that Google is focusing on to help build a more sustainable future.AI for

59、sustainabilitySeven years into our journey as an AI-first company,weve made AI foundational to every part of our business and all Google products.Our approach to AI must be both bold and responsible.To us,that means developing AI in a way that maximizes the positive benefits to society while address

60、ing the challenges,guided by our AI Principles.We can use AI to help accelerate solutions to tackle climate change by providing better information to individuals,operational optimization for organizations,and improved prediction and forecasting.We must also continue to find ways to reduce the enviro

61、nmental footprint of AI models.Information:Empowering people to live more sustainably through AI.In 2022,searches for “solar energy,”“electric bicycles,”and “electric cars”reached all-time highs.13 People are interested in how to live more sustainably,and our goal is to make it easier for them to do

62、 so.Features like eco-friendly routing in Google Maps leverage AI to help people get to their destinations as quickly as possible while minimizing fuel or battery consumption.Eco-friendly routing has helped prevent 1.2 million metric tons of estimated carbon emissions since launchequivalent to takin

63、g approximately 250,000 fuel-based cars off the road for a year.14 Additionally,for over a decade,our Nest Learning Thermostats have used machine learning(ML)to help people save energy and money at home.From 2011 to 2022,Nest thermostats have helped customers cumulatively save more than 113 billion

64、kWh of energy15more than double Portugals annual electricity consumption16 and equivalent to avoiding an estimated 36 million tCO2e emissions.17 Optimization:Bringing carbon-efficient computing to customers and partners.Weve made significant investments in cleaner cloud computing by making our data

65、centers some of the most efficient in the world and sourcing more carbon-free energy.Were helping our customers make real-time decisions to reduce emissions,and mitigate climate risks with data and AI.For example,Google Cloud customers can reduce their cloud footprint with a feature called Active As

66、sist,which uses machine learning to identify unused(and potentially wasteful)workloads that could reduce carbon emissions ifremoved.Our planet,as seen via Google Earth 2020 Landsat/CopernicusWe believe that AI is a foundational and transformational technology that will provide compelling and helpful

67、 benefits to people and society through its capacity to assist,complement,empower,and inspire people in almost every field of human endeavor.It has the potential to contribute to tackling some of societys most pressing challenges and opportunitiesamong these,climate and sustainability,where were res

68、earching and innovating to help unlock scientific discoveries and to assist people in making informed choices and communities impacted by climate change.We believe that getting AI rightwhich to us involves innovating and delivering widely accessible benefits to people and society,while mitigating it

69、s risksmust be a collective effort involving us and others,including researchers,developers,users(individuals,businesses,and other organizations),governments,regulators,and citizens.Its critical that we collectively earn public trust if AI is to deliver on its potential for people and society.As a c

70、ompany,we embrace the opportunity to work with others to get AI right.James ManyikaSVP,Research,Technology,&SocietyGoogleIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 102023 Environmental Report Were making advancements in many transformativ

71、e areas of AI,but Im particularly excited about AI for Social Good,including climate adaptation.AI has great potential to both reduce overall emissions as well as help us address the effects of climate change,including helping people adapt to new challenges.Jeff DeanChief ScientistGoogle DeepMind an

72、d Google ResearchOptimization:Helping communities with AI-powered climate action planning.Green Light is an AI-based tool that helps city traffic engineers optimize the timing of light changes to reduce stop-and-go traffic.Our recent tests in Hamburg,Germany,showed that at traffic lights with our AI

73、-driven recommendations,cars made over 25%fewer stops,resulting in approximately 10%fewer emissions.18 The Environmental Insights Explorer(EIE)is a freely available online tool built with and for cities and regions to support effective climate action planning.Many features in EIE are made possible t

74、hrough machine learning,such as estimating the solar potential of rooftops,calculating transportation emissions,and mapping tree canopy coverage.Prediction:Using AI to help communities address extreme weather events.AI-powered tools can help address some of the worst impacts of climate-related disas

75、ters,from early warnings of natural disasters to reducing the impact of wildfires.In 2022,we launched Flood Hub,which allows local governments and aid organizations to identify when a riverine flood will occur,up to seven days in advance.In early 2023,we expanded this tool from 20 to 80 countries ac

76、ross the globe.By using AI to analyze satellite imagery,were also helping to enable rapid detection when a wildfire starts and to predict how it will spread,enabling authorities to better manage fires and provide emergency alerts to individuals who are atrisk.Prediction:Using AI to predict locust ou

77、tbreaks,helping farmers protect their crops.Locust infestations can have a devastating effect on food crops.Through collaborations with AI product-focused company InstaDeep and the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO)of the United Nations,the Google AI Center in Ghana is building a model that fore

78、casts locust breeding grounds using historical data from the FAO and environmental variables like rainfall and temperature.This model will help to better detect locust outbreaks and enable farmers to implement control measures.Prediction:Using generative modeling for nowcasting rain.Were using gener

79、ative modeling to make detailed and plausible predictions,up to two hours ahead,that capture the amount,timing,and location of rainfall.With such methods,we can both accurately capture large-scale events,while also generating alternative rain scenarios.Were interested in the ability of these models

80、to make predictions on medium-to heavy-rain events,which most impact people and the economy.Environmental footprint:Leveraging AI to optimize our own operations,and working to reduce energy use and emissions from AI computing in our data centers.AI and machine learning workloads are quickly becoming

81、 larger and more capable,raising concerns about their energy use and their impact on the environment.With AI at an inflection point,predicting the future growth of energy use and emissions from AI compute in our data centers is challenging.Historically,research has shown that as AI/ML compute demand

82、 has gone up,the energy needed to power this technology has increased at a much slower rate than many forecasts predicted.We have used tested practices to reduce the carbon footprint of workloads by large margins;together these principles have reduced the energy of training a model by up to 100 x an

83、d emissions by up to 1,000 x.We plan to continue applying these tested practices and to keep developing new ways to make AI computing more efficient.Google data centers are designed,built,and operated to maximize efficiencyeven as computing demand grows.On average,a Google-owned and-operated data ce

84、nter is more than 1.5 times as energy efficient as a typical enterprise data center19 and,compared with five years ago,we now deliver approximately three times as much computing power with the same amount of electrical power.20 To support the next generation of fundamental advances in AI,our latest

85、TPU v4 is proven to be one of the fastest,most efficient,and most sustainable ML infrastructure hubs in the world.Were excited about the progress weve already made in developing more sustainable tools and products that harness the power of AI,and were optimistic about the progress well unlock in the

86、 years ahead.AI is one of the most transformational technologies of our time.I believe it has the potential to unlock major benefits for us all,including tackling climate change.At Google DeepMind,were committed to driving responsible research that can make a positive and lasting impact on society.I

87、m hopeful AI will accelerate scientific progress and help us address a number of global challenges to leave the world a better place for the generations that follow.Lila IbrahimChief Operating OfficerGoogle DeepMindA row of servers in our St.Ghislain,Belgium,data centerIntroductionAppendixEmpowering

88、 individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 112023 Environmental Report Our gigaton aspirationWe believe that Google has a unique opportunity that extends beyond reducing the environmental impacts of our own operations and value chain.21 In 2020,Google shared our aspir

89、ation to help others reduce 1 gigaton(GT)of their carbon equivalent emissions annually by 2030.This is an ambitious vision that weve set to push us to contribute meaningfully to helping with climate solutions beyond our own operations and value chain.We initially focused on helping cities and local

90、governments reduce 1 GT of emissions.A key tool in this effort is the Environmental Insights Explorer(EIE),which provides actionable climate and sustainability data to government officials in cities and regions worldwide.Its been used in multiple ways across the globe,including by city leaders in Du

91、blin to analyze bicycle usage and inform smart transportation policies,and by the city of Austin to prioritize planting trees in areas with the highest need.To better reflect the broader group of partners we aim to help,were updating our sharedambition:ASPIRATIONWe aim to help individuals,cities,and

92、 other partners collectively reduce 1 gigaton of their carbon equivalent emissions annually by 2030.For context,1 GT is comparable to the entire annual emissions of Japan.22 Helping others to reduce 1 GT of carbon equivalent emissions per year,starting in 2030,is a bold aspiration focused on where w

93、e can have the most impactenabling others to reduce emissions in key areas like energy and transportation.Our ultimate measure of success will be how much weve helped individuals,cities,and other partners to achieve their own greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions reduction goals.Many of the solutions to achi

94、eve a gigaton of carbon emission reductions dont yet exist.However this ambition pushes us to innovate and be audacious in our approach and to collaborate with others to drive systemic solutions.Well share progress and learnings along theway.Estimating impactEstimating the carbon impact of actions t

95、aken by many millions of people,communities,and organizations will be inherently difficult,imprecise,and fundamentally different from measuring a corporate carbon footprint.However,its also useful to enable us to prioritize the most helpful solutions for others.After reviewing emerging best practice

96、s and applying our internal product measurement expertise to advance our measurement work,weve identified a set of approaches and known challenges that will inform how we estimate enabled emissions reductions.ApproachesConsider carbon accounting principles Established carbon accounting principles(su

97、ch as well-defined baselines and true and fair representation of data)provide helpful insights as we develop estimation methodologies for enabled emissions reductions.Quantify and evaluate real world action The data available to us from our technology,products,or services may be several steps remove

98、d from actual,real-world action and impact that resulted in reduced or avoided emissions.Well have to use inference and judgment to evaluate the effect of those actions.ChallengesUnintended impactsEmissions reduction efforts dont happen in isolation.Actions in one industry or sector might result in

99、net new emissions in another.Similarly,emissions reductions in one area can sometimes lead to increases in another.These are difficult effects to control for,but they must be considered when estimating enabled emissions reductions.Inherent uncertainty Uncertainty is inherent to most GHG accounting m

100、ethodologies and results,and it increases when considering enabled emissions reductions due to a lack of primary data and precise information about real-world actions and their effects.However,understanding the sources,types,and magnitude of uncertainty is crucial to deploy conservative estimates,in

101、form improved data inputs,and properly interpret results.While carbon accounting principles and these concepts are a good start towards estimating enabled emissions reductions,we expect that methodologies will rapidly evolve,and we welcome the opportunity to collaborate with others to advance best p

102、ractices.The Empowering individuals and Working together sections include many examples of how were already supporting and enabling individuals and partners to reduce their emissions.The Environmental Insights Explorer makes actionable climate data available to more than 40,000 cities and regions wo

103、rldwide.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 122023 Environmental Report Empowering individualsWere empowering people with information to make more sustainable choicesOur ambitionOur approachHelping people make more sustainable choi

104、cesReducing home energy useProviding sustainable transportation optionsSharing other actionable informationThe journey aheadIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 132023 Environmental Report Our ambitionAt Google,we have an opportunit

105、y to lead the transition to a more sustainable future by making information accessible and by driving innovation forward.Grounded in our mission,were empowering people with the high-quality information theyre looking for.Through our products and platforms that billions of users engage with every day

106、,were helping people make decisions that can drive positive action for our planet.Last years Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)AR6 Working Group 3 Report,for the first time,set out measurable ways that individuals can take meaningful climate action in line with the Paris Agreement.The I

107、PCC report offers a detailed and practical plan for societal emissions reduction,complementing the critical action required by governments,policymakers,and organizations to decarbonize energy,transport,and material systems.The report also calculates the significant well-being and economic benefits t

108、hat will result from these actions,including for individuals.These important findings have reinforced our conviction that Google can make a meaningful difference beyond our own operations and value chain,and they highlight the benefits of helping individuals through our products andplatforms.Our app

109、roachEvery day,billions of people turn to Google to ask questions,discover something new,or learn about whats important to them.More people are interested in how to live more sustainably than ever,and our aim is to make it easier for them to do so.In 2022,searches for “solar energy,”“electric bicycl

110、es,”and “electric cars”reached all-time highs.23 These kinds of changes to lifestyles and behavior matter:the International Energy Agency(IEA)estimates that around 55%of the cumulative emissions reductions needed to achieve a net-zero global energy system by 2050 are linked to consumer choices.Yet,t

111、heres a wide“say-do gap”among consumersbetween those who are concerned about sustainability,and those who ultimately make sustainable decisions.24 To tackle a problem at the scale of climate change,it can be hard to know where to start.Thats why weve taken a first-principles approach,looking at what

112、s contributing the most to global emissions.Home energy and transportation are two such areascollectively they account for more than 20%of emissions.25 Theyre also sectors where people are actively searching for sustainable alternatives that often provide benefits like saving them money or time,or i

113、mproving their health.The accuracy and quality of the information that informs these decisions is critical.When people come to us looking for answers,we aim to provide high-quality and authoritative information.FIGURE 1See hybrid and electric vehicle options on Google SearchWhen people search for ca

114、r models and brands,we tag hybrid and electric options to make them easier to find.And when people look into a specific EV,we show compatible charging stations nearby and typical charge times.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 142

115、023 Environmental Report Helping people make more sustainable choicesIn 2020,we announced a goal to help 1 billion people make more sustainable choices through our products by 2022.Were pleased to share that we reached that goal in 2022,through innovative solutions offered to users,including:Google

116、Nest:Programmable energy efficiency schedules for homes that can help users save energy,money,and carbon emissions throughout the day.Google Maps:Eco-friendly routing feature that shows users the most fuel-efficient route,based on factors such as traffic and road incline.Google Travel:Users can see

117、associated carbon emissions for nearly every flight,sustainability certifications and attributes for hotels,and quickly find more sustainable options.Nest thermostats help people save energy at home.TARGETHelp 1 billion people make more sustainable choices through our products by 20222022 PROGRESSAc

118、hieved:Helped more than 1 billion users make more sustainable choicesDETAILSYear set:2020|Base year:N/A|Target year:2022 Scope:Unique,signed-in Google users that were provided information so they could make a more sustainable choice by at least one sustainability product feature.Reducing home energy

119、 useWeve launched a number of products and features to help people make more informed choices about the products they buy and the energy they use.Energy-efficient productsSearches for “how to save energy”reached a 10-year high,worldwide,in 2022.26 And global searches for “heat pumps”reached an all-t

120、ime high in 2022.27 When someone uses Google Search in the U.S.to look for furnaces or water heaters,suggestions in the Shopping tab can help narrow their search to cost-effective and efficient options(see Figure 2).FIGURE 2Google Shopping feature for water heatersIntroductionAppendixEmpowering indi

121、vidualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 152023 Environmental Report Smart thermostatsNest thermostats help control residential heating and cooling systems,saving energy in a variety of ways.The collective impact of these savings is significant.From 2011 to 2022,Nest the

122、rmostats have helped customers cumulatively save more than 113 billion kWh of energy28more than double Portugals annual electricity consumption29and equivalent to preventing an estimated 36 million tCO2e emissions.30 In 2022 alone,Nest thermostats helped customers save more than 26 billion kWh of en

123、ergy31more energy than Google used in the same year.Nest thermostats use AI and machine learning to reduce energy consumption and achieve collective savings as they learn how and when to keep customers comfortable,while optimizing for energy efficiency.Clean energyBecause electricity grids tend to b

124、e cleaner at certain times of day,when we use electricity can be as important as how much electricity we use.Thats why we launched Nest Renew in the United States to help individuals automatically shift their energy consumption to times of day when local grid electricity is cleaner or less expensive

125、 Features such as Energy Shift gather local power grid emissions forecasts and identify opportunities where heating or cooling a home slightly earlier or later would mean taking advantage of cleaner energy.These small actions add up;as of December 2022,we estimate that Energy Shift32 has already hel

126、ped Nest Renew users33 collectively prioritize cleaner energy usage for more than 110 million hours.For people who want to do more to support the growth of clean energy from their homes,Google offers Nest Renew Premium as a paid subscription option.It matches the fossil fuel electricity used in thei

127、r home with enough clean energy to cover the average U.S.household.Were working with renewable energy plants that support projects in Googles own portfoliolike the Bethel Wind plant in Castro County,Texasto purchase high-quality renewable energy credits for Nest Renew customers,beyond Googles existi

128、ng clean energy purchases.People can also access features like impact reports and the Energy Impact Program,which lets them direct Nest Renew funds to nonprofit partners working toward an equitable sustainable future(see Figure 3).2022 HIGHLIGHTIn 2022 alone,Nest thermostats helped customers save mo

129、re than 26 billion kWh of energy34more energy than Google used in the same year.FIGURE 3Nest Renew featuresIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 162023 Environmental Report Information about energyGlobal search interest in “eco-anxie

130、ty”reached a 15-year high in 2022,as did search interest in how to “save energy at home,”35 showing us that people wantand needanswers.Due to the energy crisis in Europe,people,businesses,andgovernments across the continent are concerned about rising prices and increased pressure on the energy grid,

131、which is evident from the information theyre searching for.In 2022,we worked with the IEA to rapidly develop a set of recommendations to help individuals reduce energy use at home.When people searched for topics such as“Europe energy crisis”and“energy price”,they saw news articles,local information

132、including financial assistance that may be available,and recommended actions to help conserve energy(see Figure 4).FIGURE 4Europe energy information panelsGoing solarGlobal search interest in “solar energy”and “solar installation”reached all-time highs in 2022.36 Project Sunroof,launched in 2015 in

133、the United States and Puerto Rico,helps people decide whether to go solar.It uses AI to analyze high-resolution aerial mapping and 3D modeling of residential roofs,making estimations of solar potential faster and easier.Exploring potential solar capacity for homes in San Francisco,California in the

134、Project Sunroof tool.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 172023 Environmental Report Providing sustainable transportation optionsGlobal search interest in “sustainable transport”reached a 15-year high in 2022.37 Transportation reli

135、es more heavily on fossil fuels than any other sector.38 This is why,for people in most high-income countries,changing travel patterns is a high-impact way to reduce their footprint.Weve added several features across our products to allow people to more easily make sustainable travel and transportat

136、ion decisions.Eco-friendly routingA simple thing everyone can do to reduce emissions is use existing vehicles more efficiently.Global searches for “how to save fuel when driving”have increased by 60%between 2022 and 2023.39 In 2021,we launched eco-friendly routing in Google Maps to help people get t

137、o their destinations as quickly as possible while minimizing fuel or battery consumption(see Figure 5).By building AI models on the emissions profile of diverse vehicle types,this feature leverages insights from the U.S.Department of Energys National Renewable Energy Laboratory and data from the Eur

138、opean Environment Agency to optimize fuel-efficient route choices.FIGURE 5Eco-friendly routingIn 2022,we expanded eco-friendly routing to Canada and nearly 40 European countries,as well as in Egypt ahead of COP-27.As of the end of 2022,its estimated to have helped prevent more than 1.2 million metri

139、c tons of carbon emissions since launchequivalent to taking approximately 250,000 fuel-based cars off the road for ayear.40 Since the most fuel-efficient route will vary by engine type,drivers using eco-friendly routing in Europe,Egypt,the U.S.,and Canada can now select their engine typepetrol or ga

140、s,diesel,hybrid,or electric vehicle(EV)in order to get the best route and most accurate fuel or energy efficiency estimates.Electric vehiclesEVs accounted for nearly 14%of new global car sales in 2022,41 and global search interest for “electric vehicles”reached an all-time high in 2022.42For people

141、considering purchasing a new vehicle,we want to make it easy to understand when switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle makes sense for them.Search can help people figure out how much they can save by going electric by providing fuel savings estimates and information about how similar cars compare

142、 in range and emissions.We also show which models qualify in the U.S.under the latest government rebate programs designed to help make EVs a more affordable option.For people considering a new bike or scooter,in select Asian countries,Search provides information such as range,speed,and price for ele

143、ctric bikes and scooters.When EV owners search for “EV charging”on Google Maps,theyll see charging stations nearby with charger availability displayed in some cases.People with a car that has Google Maps built in are routed to the most convenient charging location based on factors like traffic,charg

144、e levels,and charger speed.By the end of 2022,Google Maps included nearly 300,000 EV charging locations globally.In the Waze app,individuals can also find compatible charging stations along their route.Thanks to local map editors from our Waze Community,EV data is reviewed and updated in real time t

145、o provide the most accurate,comprehensive information.An EV plugged in at a charging station.Finding a place to charge your EV is easy with Google Maps.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 182023 Environmental Report Sustainable com

146、mutingOne sustainable way to travel is to avoid driving altogether,which is why were making it easier to use Google Maps for sustainable commuting in urban areas,by providing mass transit options,bike routes,bike shares,and walking directions.By tapping on the Google Maps transit icon,individuals ca

147、n get directions to their destination by bus,train,subway,and even ferry.Google Maps provides,on average,more than 2 billion kilometers(1.2 billion miles)ofpublic transit results per day.Global searches for “e-bikes”have doubled over the past three years.43 In 2022,we added over 90,000 kilometers(56

148、,000 miles)of bike lanes and bikeable roads to Google Maps.Individuals can also find nearby bike and scooter shares in over 400 cities around the world.Were also helping people get from point A to point B on foot.Google Maps offers turn-by-turn directions for pedestrians,with Immersive View and Stre

149、et View offering route previews,and Live View,which uses augmented reality to display arrows and directions clearly overlaid on the map.2022 HIGHLIGHTGoogle Maps provides,on average,more than 2 billion kilometers (1.2 billion miles)of public transit results per day.Long-distance travelWhen individua

150、ls search in Google Flights,they now see carbon emissions estimates for nearly every flight,right next to price and duration(see Figure 6).Lower emissions flights are labeled with a green badge,and results can be sorted or filtered by carbon impact.If people want to view only flights that have lower

151、 emissions compared to the average for similar trips,they can simply tap the “Less emissions only”filter.In 2022,we expanded coverage of carbon emissions estimates to 99%of itineraries on Google Flights.FIGURE 6Google Flights emissions estimatesWe also created the Travel Impact Model(TIM),a public a

152、nd freely accessible methodology for predicting the per-passenger CO2 emissions produced by an upcoming flight.Today,the TIM powers the emissions estimates you see on Google Flights,as well as select travel sites,through our work in the Travalyst coalition.Over time,weve refined and improved the TIM

153、 with help from academic and nonprofit experts,as well as various partners in the travel industry.We then formalized these collaborative efforts by establishing an independent advisory committee to oversee future changes to the TIM.Google Search can also help people find more sustainable alternative

154、s to flying when available.Trips taken by train or bus often produce lower emissions and can frequently save individuals time or money over shorter distances.People can now compare train ticket prices directly on Google Search for travel in and around select countries.As an example,when looking for

155、“Berlin to Vienna trains,”individuals will see a new module in the search results that lets them choose their departure date and compare the available options.Tofurther expand individual choices for intercity travel,wevealso started testing a similar feature for bus tickets.Hotel accommodationsWhen

156、people search for travel accommodations,they can see which hotels have been certified for meeting high standards of sustainability by select independent organizations.For example,hotels certified by Green Key or EarthCheck will have an eco-certified badge next to their name.IntroductionAppendixEmpow

157、ering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 192023 Environmental Report Sharing other actionable informationOutside of home energy and transportation,individuals can make other sustainable choices that add up to create a positive impact.This includes understanding

158、 local air quality,accessing climate change information,identifying nearby recycling locations,or purchasing pre-owned items.Air qualityAir quality around the world is being negatively impacted by air pollution and increasingly severe wildfires.Weve added a new Air Quality feature in Google Search a

159、nd Maps that shows the air quality conditions for the day,whether its unusually smoggy or dangerously smoky.Available in cities in the U.S.,Singapore,Brazil,and Chile,among other locations,this data can help people consider their activities for the day,including whether to stay indoors.Google Maps a

160、nd Waze both support user alerts for clean air zones.A clean air zone is a designated urban area with high air pollution where measures are implemented to improve air quality,such as charging an entry fee to drivers of high-emissions vehicles.If a route crosses a clean air zone,the driver will be al

161、erted to add a permit if they own one,then eligible routes will be suggested for them based on that pass.Climate change informationWere making it easier for people to find climate change information.When people search for “climate change”in certain languages,theyll see information panels and visuals

162、 on the causes and effects of climate change,and individual actions they can take to live more sustainably,provided by authoritative sources like the United Nations.Were also engaging with individuals on climate and other environmental topics via YouTube.On Earth Day 2022,we launched a Non-Fungible

163、Planet campaign,where we teamed up with environmental non-profits,creators,and other organizations to show what makes Earth so special and worth protecting.They journeyed to one-of-a-kind locales and created videos to highlight the stress our environment is under and what we can do to help.In 2022,Y

164、ouTube also held our first ever Creators for Climate Action summits,one in New York and one with TED Countdown in London.To stay safe during extreme weather events,people often turn to the internet with questions.For example,global search interest in “heat waves”reached an all-time high in July 2022

165、.44 To surface authoritative and helpful information in these moments,were providing information through Search alerts on flooding,wildfire boundaries,and extreme heat.More details on how AI enables these alerts can be found in the Working together section.Recycling pointsPeople recognize that recyc

166、ling plays a crucial role in preserving the future of our planet;global searches for “recycling”are the highest of any sustainability action.45 In 2021,we launched a new feature that makes it easier for people to find nearby recycling points on Search and Maps.In addition to providing information on

167、 recycling depots and waste transfer stations,were also helping small businesses share when they offer in-store recycling.By adding the new recycling attribute to Business Profiles on Search and Maps,local storefronts and shops can show the recycling services they offer in just a few clickswhether i

168、ts for plastic bottles,packaging,or electronics.Pre-owned itemsGlobal search interest in “slow fashion”reached a 15-year high in 2022.46 And global searches for “thrifting”have nearly tripled over the most recent three-year period compared to the previous three-year period,47 reaching a 15-year high

169、 in 2022.48 The apparel industry is responsible for nearly 7%of global carbon emissions,so clothing choices have a big impact on reducing both waste and emissions.49 Buying pre-owned items is a small action people can take to live more sustainably.In 2022,we launched enhancements to the Google Shopp

170、ing experience in the United States for pre-owned products,such as used and refurbished products.The journey aheadWhile a single individuals actions may seem small,when billions of people have the tools to make more sustainable decisions,they add up to have a meaningful impact on their communities a

171、nd the entire planet.Were excited by the opportunity to enable climate and environmental action far beyond Googles direct impact,through information and innovation.LEARN MORE Empowering with technology Google Maps eco-friendly routing Searching for sustainability with Google Supporting a clean energ

172、y future with Nest Renew The search for sustainabilityIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 202023 Environmental Report Working togetherWere working together with our partners and customers to advance technology for sustainabilityOur

173、 ambitionOur approachSupporting partnersInvesting in breakthrough innovationCreating ecosystems for collaborationThe journey aheadIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 212023 Environmental Report Our ambitionWe believe that Google ha

174、s a unique opportunity that extends beyond reducing the environmental impacts of our own operations and value chain.By organizing information about our planet and making it actionable through technology and platforms,we can help partners and customers create even more positive impact.Digital technol

175、ogies play a critical role in industry transitions,allowing us to measure and track sustainability progress,optimize the use of resources,reduce greenhouse gas emissions,and enable a more circular economy.50 Cloud computing and digital technologies underpin the transformation in many sectors,such as

176、 energy,transportation,and agriculture.Research that we commissioned in 2022 found that 20%25%of whats required for the EUs 2050 net-zero goal requires some sort of digital enablement.51Our approachBy combining Googles suite of unique capabilities in data,geospatial analytics,cloud computing,and AI,

177、were enabling our partners and customers to advance sustainability goals.DataTo effectively mitigate and adapt to climate change and protect ecosystems,organizations need a data-driven understanding of their impacts.Currently,much of this data is fragmented across thousands of silos and a multitude

178、of databases.To help solve this problem,weve curated a large catalog of Earth observation datasets in the Earth Engine Data Catalog.We created Environmental Insights Explorer,which empowers thousands of cities and regions with actionable data and insights to reduce global emissions.More recently,we

179、also built Data Commons,an open-source tool to organize hundreds of public sustainability datasets into a single,accessible resource.Geospatial technologyGoogle has made deep investments over nearly two decades in geospatial technology and platforms such as Google Maps and Google Earth.Google Earth

180、Engine is a leading technology platform for planetary-scale environmental monitoring that was launched in 2010 for scientists and NGOs.In 2022,it was expanded for commercial use by businesses and governments as an enterprise-grade service through Google Cloud.Researchers from academic institutions,N

181、GOs,and intergovernmental organizations have leveraged and built upon our tools for a wide variety of use cases from measuring habitat ranges to protecting forest and ocean ecosystems.CloudGoogle Cloud is helping to transform a number of carbon-emitting sectors,such as energy,transportation,and agri

182、culture.Weve made significant investments in cleaner cloud computing by making our data centers among the most efficient in the world and sourcing more carbon-free energy.This enables others to expand their use of digital technologies in a more sustainable way,by monitoring and optimizing cloud-rela

183、ted emissions,and choosing cleaner regions in which to run their workloads.AIAs an AI-first company,weve established a track record of applying AI to some of the most significant challenges facing humanity,such as environmental degradation and climate change,and we see exciting opportunities for fur

184、ther impact.AI is embedded into many of our sustainability initiativesincluding detecting and forecasting floods and wildfires,helping people and cities adapt to extremeheat,and protecting critical specieshabitat.Were leveraging this unique suite of capabilities in three key ways:supporting partners

185、,investing in breakthrough innovation,and creating ecosystems for collaboration.Governments,aid organizations,and individuals can use Flood Hub to take timely action and prepare for riverine floods,seeing locally relevant flood data and forecasts up to 7 days in advance.IntroductionAppendixEmpowerin

186、g individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 222023 Environmental Report Supporting partnersWere building partnerships to advance sustainability goals through technology across three key groups:governments and intergovernmental organizations;customers and commercial pa

187、rtners;and researchers,academics,and NGOs.Governments and intergovernmental organizationsWere creating tools to help governments and intergovernmental organizations make decisions on key topicssuch as urban infrastructure,transportation systems,regulations,and investmentsthat have a significant,long

188、-term impact on people and our planet.Cities and urban areas are a particular focus for our work,since theyre home to a large proportion of the global population and produce a significant amount of GHG emissions.More than half the worlds population now lives in urban areas,with this number expected

189、to grow to 68%by 2050,52 and cities account for 70%of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions globally.53Environmental Insights ExplorerGoogle created Environmental Insights Explorer(EIE)with and for cities and regions.This freely available online tool brings many of our technological advancements t

190、ogether to help measure emission sources,analyze data,identify strategies to reduce emissions,and adapt to climate change impacts.EIE is supported and offered to cities for validation by leading city networks including the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate&Energy(GCoM),C40 Cities Climate Leaders

191、hip Group,ICLEI,and others.EIE makes actionable climate data available to more than 40,000 cities and regions worldwide.Over a thousand cities globally have signed up to view their data and use the insights for their GHG inventories and climate action planning.For example,Iniciativa Climtica de Mxic

192、o is working with city officials to evaluate Mexico Citys building emissions and the potential to generate renewable energy from rooftop solar,using data from EIE,and support from Google.org and ICLEI.Building emissionsIn 2022,EIE released building emissions data for 4,000 new cities,bringing our to

193、tal buildings data coverage to over 13,000 cities worldwide.Weve substantially increased our geographic coverage of the world,improving it by over 250%from just over 9.5 million square kilometers to over 35 million square kilometersresulting in over 50%more buildings counted and 40%more building flo

194、or area used to estimate emissions.Transportation emissionsUsing anonymized traffic patterns and other geospatial information,EIE is also able to estimate transportation emissions for trips within a citys boundary.For example,in Izmir,Turkeys third most populous city,transportation emissions account

195、ed for almost 23%of total city emissions in 2018.54 Izmir is using EIE to assess the effectiveness of GHG emissions mitigation actions and apply them to policy and decision-making to align with the goals defined in the citys Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan.Tree canopy coverageEIE also pro

196、vides Tree Canopy Insights,which uses AI and aerial imagery to detect and map tree canopy coverage in cities(see Figure 7)to help them create cooler environments.As of March 2023,we expanded our coverage to more than 350 cities on four continents.For example,the city of Austin has used the EIE Tree

197、Canopy tool to prioritize planting trees in vulnerable areas and help place bus shelters to increase shade.FIGURE 7EIE Tree Canopy InsightsTree Canopy Insights uses AI and aerial imagery to detect and map tree canopy coverage in cities.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagem

198、entOperating sustainablyWorking together 232023 Environmental Report Air qualityGoogle has worked with several cities to capture hyperlocal air quality insights used to help improve the lives and health of residents.We partnered with Dublin City Council to map air quality street-by-street using an e

199、lectric Street View car,to increase awareness of air quality levels and help implement smart transportation policies.We also partnered with New York state to launch a statewide air quality and greenhouse gas mobile monitoring initiative in areas overburdened by environmental pollution.Road trafficWe

200、 also know that many cities suffer from urban road traffic,which wastes fuel and creates harmful air pollution.Thats why we created Green Light,an AI tool that measures driving trends at intersections and develops recommendations that city traffic engineers can use to optimize the timing of light ch

201、anges to reduce stop-and-go traffic.Our recent tests in Hamburg,Germany showed that at traffic lights with our AI-driven recommendations,cars made over 25%fewer stops,resulting in approximately 10%fewer emissions at intersections.55 Cool roofsCool roofs are designed to reflect sunlight and absorb le

202、ss heat,and theyre especially impactful in communities that may not have access to reliable air conditioning.Were exploring how our technologysuch as AI algorithms and aerial imagerycan help more places implement cool roofs.Were able to map out the solar reflectivity of cities so urban planners and

203、governments can identify what areas would benefit most from cool roofs.Well soon begin piloting this tool with select cities.Were exploring how AI and aerial imagery can be used to help cities and governments address“heat islands”by implementing cool roofs in relevant locations.Adaptation support fo

204、r communitiesAs climate change increases extreme weather events around the world,were also helping communities adapt to environmental changes and stay one step ahead of natural disasters.Wildfire detection and predictionClimate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires,which are h

205、aving a devastating impact on communities and ecosystems around the world.56 To minimize the impact of wildfires on communities,Google has developed a new AI-based technology to map wildfires in near real time.It uses data from geostationary satellites such as NOAAs GOES constellation to show the si

206、ze of a wildfire,with data being refreshed roughly every 1520 minutes.Additionally,were collaborating with the USFS on wildfire research by using advanced simulation and AI techniques to accelerate their fire spread model.57Weve also been working closely with U.S.agencies,such as the U.S.Forest Serv

207、ice(USFS).USFS used Google Earth Engine and Google Cloud technology to build a Landscape Change Monitoring System to map and monitor land cover change across the United States and support forest planning and post-fire recovery.Flood forecastingAnnually,floods cause thousands of fatalities worldwide,

208、58 disrupt the lives of millions,and cause significant financial damages.Our Flood Forecasting Initiative,launched in 2018,uses AI to predict when and where riverine flooding will occur,helping to keep people safe and informed.Our Flood Hub platform now displays flood forecasts to help governments,a

209、id organizations,and at-risk communities take timely action.These breakthroughs are a result of innovative modeling approaches that use machine learning to create scalable models in real-world settings.In May 2023,we expanded coverage to territories in 60 new countries across Africa,the Asia-Pacific

210、 region,Were applying AI and working with fire authorities to detect,track,and predict wildfires,and to help authorities respond better to new wildfire threats.From wildfire mapping,to earthquake detection and alerts to flood forecasting,we continue to find new ways for technology to be helpful at t

211、he most critical times.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 242023 Environmental Report Europe,and South and Central America.Flood Hub now displays forecasts for 80 countries.This includes some of the territories with the highest pe

212、rcentages of population exposed to flood risk and experiencing more extreme weather,covering 460 million people globally.All forecasts are displayed for free.Were applying advanced machine learning methods to forecast when and where riverine floods may occur,up to seven days in advance,helping to sa

213、ve lives and livelihoods.Risk to infrastructure and natural resourcesIn 2022,we announced our Google Cloud climate insights offerings to help government agencies better understand the risks to infrastructure and natural resources due to climate change.For example,we partnered with the State of Hawai

214、i Department of Transportation(HDOT),which manages 2,500 miles of highwaymuch of which is facing risks due to erosion and sea level rise.HDOT is leveraging Google Earth Engine and other Google Cloud services for its Climate Resilience Platform,using big data and insights to assess risk and prioritiz

215、e investment decisions based on multiple climate risks,asset conditions,and community impact.Water securityWere putting Googles products and technology in service of helping others to study and respond to water security challenges.Improving water security requires an accurate accounting of freshwate

216、r resources and how they change over time.As an example,we partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP)and the European Commissions Joint Research Centre to develop the Freshwater Ecosystems Explorer.Following the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals,UNEP requested that all 1

217、93 member states provide indicator 6.6.1 data on the extent of their water-related ecosystems.59 At that time,the majority of member states couldnt report on this metric.To fill this gap,the Freshwater Ecosystems Explorer(sdg661.app)helps to quantify and visualize surface water changes over the cour

218、se of decades.This free,easy-to-use geospatial platform and data product helps decision-makers access national,sub-national,and basin-level data on freshwater ecosystems(see Figure 8).FIGURE 8Freshwater Ecosystems ExplorerThe Freshwater Ecosystems Explorer helps to quantify and visualize surface wat

219、er changes.In addition to other water outflows,freshwater is transferred to the atmosphere via evapotranspiration.Together with government and academic research groups and the nonprofit OpenET,Google has helped improve water management by supporting the automation and scaling of evapotranspiration(E

220、T)models.These models provide estimates of how much water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere,a crucial but difficult to measure process within the overall hydrological cycle.Now OpenET is making satellite-based ET data widely accessible to farmers,landowners,and water managers.Introducti

221、onAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 252023 Environmental Report Cloud customers and commercial partnersWere collaborating with customers and commercial partners across a number of sectorsincluding energy,transportation,agriculture,manufactur

222、ing,consumer goods,and financial servicesto work towards sustainability goals.Were providing powerful insights to help our Google Cloud customers around the world predict climate risk,increase visibility across their supply chain,and reduce and report on their emissions.Carbon footprintingIn 2022,we

223、 introduced the Carbon Sense Suite,which includes products such as Carbon Footprint and Active Assist,and tools such as Cloud region picker.The suite is enabling Google Cloud customers to accurately measure,report,and reduce their cloud-related carbon emissions.We help developers and organizations m

224、ake low-carbon architecture decisions and provide best practices to improve sustainability.Developers at companies such as LOral and SAP are using Google Cloud tools to reduce the emissions associated with their technology footprint.Working closely with these customers,we developed our Carbon Footpr

225、int producta freely available tool that provides monthly emissions data on a per service,project,and region basis.The data can be accessed in BigQuery for analysis and can be easily integrated with popular carbon accounting tools.Carbon Footprint data is also integrated with recommendations to reduc

226、e emissions.Climate risk and resilienceMany of our commercial customers are eager to assess and improve their resilience to climate change.From transportation companies to financial service organizations,Google is helping organizations integrate climate data and geospatial analysis into business str

227、ategy and risk management.For example,we partnered with RSMetrics and Infosys to publish a design pattern for portfolio climate risk analysis and were helping insurers boost responses to disaster-related claims.Weve launched SpatiaFi,together with our partner Climate Engine,to help the banking secto

228、r harness the power of geospatial analytics to support climate finance.For example,geospatial data can help a banks agriculture customers build a personalized picture of flood and drought risks and biodiversity at a field-specific level.Responsible sourcingAs global demand for raw materials continue

229、s to grow,deforestation is increasing,contributing to GHG emissions.Companies want to know more about the origins of their raw materials,including which are sourced responsiblyand how they can improve their sourcing practices.Google Cloud,in partnership with NGIS(a geospatial solutions company)is he

230、lping brands gain a deeper understanding of sustainable sourcing practices across supplier networks.By combining the power of our cloud computing,AI,and geospatial analytics,were helping companies get real-time,reliable information into operations at a local supplier level,globally.For example,were

231、helping Unilever build a more holistic view of the forests,water cycles,and biodiversity that intersect its supply chain.We also helped launch TraceMark,a Google Cloud Ready Sustainability Solution designed for enterprises,which aims to accelerate the delivery of traceability and transparency in glo

232、bal supply chains for raw materials.Transportation-related emissionsWere working with a number of commercial organizations to tackle transportation-related emissions.Ecommerce shipments are on track to double by 2026,60 and 90%of U.S.consumers expect free two-to-three-day shipping,61 so were helping

233、 businesses optimize every stage of the last mile delivery journey:capturing valid addresses,optimizing delivery routes,efficiently navigating drivers,tracking shipment progress,and analyzing fleet performance.Were also helping organizations harness the power of data and AI to drive more intelligent

234、 logistics operations and supply chains.For example,our customer EV Suitability Assessment helps organizations monitor their fleet of vehicles and make choices that minimize environmental impact.Data analytics tools from Google Cloud are also helping airlines.Lufthansa Group partnered with Google Cl

235、oud and Google Research to develop a platform that facilitates better planning and management of daily flight operations.Were helping organizations harness the power of data and AI to drive more intelligent supply chains.Renewable energyWind farms are an important source of carbon-free electricity,b

236、ut wind can fluctuate depending on the weather.Through Google Cloud,customers like Engie (a global energy and renewables supplier)can optimize their wind portfolio in short-term power markets by predicting wind power output 36 hours ahead of actual generation and making optimal hourly delivery commi

237、tments to the grid,a full day in advance.Sustainability partner solutionsPartner solutions are important to scale the impact for our customers and help them get the support they need,from processing ESG data to reducing carbon emissions.This is why we launched Google Cloud Ready Sustainability,a des

238、ignation to validate and promote sustainability partner solutions built on Google Cloud.Great Western wind farm in Oklahoma(225 MW for Google)IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 262023 Environmental Report Researchers,academics,and

239、 NGOsWere providing cutting-edge climate-and nature-related data and analytics to scientific researchers from academic institutions and NGOs.This support is enabling advances in the most complex areas of their fields,applying AI,machine learning,and geospatial analytics at a global scale to accelera

240、te the shift to a sustainable future.Planetary-scale platformsLaunched in 2010,Google Earth Engine is Googles planetary-scale platform for Earth science data and analysis.It offers over 1,000 Earth observation datasets with powerful cloud computing to show timely,accurate,high-resolution insights ab

241、out the state of the worlds habitats and ecosystemsand how theyre changing over time.Scientists,researchers,and developers have been using Earth Engine for more than a decade to detect changes,map trends,and quantify differences on the Earths surface.In 2022,over 90,000 users regularly used Earth En

242、gines data analytics and computing for research and educational purposes.Multiple global conservation and restoration tools have also been built on the platform.For example,founded by Crowther Lab in Zurich and powered by Google Earth Engine and Google Cloud,Restor allows anyone to analyze the resto

243、ration potential of any place on Earth.When you outline a given area on the Restor map,it will show you data on local biodiversity,the current and potential amount of solid carbon stored in the soil,land cover,soil pH,and annual rainfall.With this information,the platform connects practitioners,faci

244、litates the exchange of information,and makes projects visible to potential funders and the public.In 2022,researchers addressed urban climate change inequities using publicly available data from Earth Engine.This study used Earth Engine to combine medium-to-high-resolution satellite observations wi

245、th census data to calculate the feasible area available for planting new trees in urban areas for over 200 areas in California.62 By quantifying this,they were able to provide estimates of several co-benefit of tree cover.To accelerate the innovation that weve seen from the scientific and NGO commun

246、ities,were now bringing Google Earth Engine to public and private sector users.In 2022,we expanded Google Earth Engines availability for commercial use by businesses and governments worldwide as an enterprise-grade service through Google Cloud.With access to reliable,up-to-date insights on how our p

247、lanet is changing,organizations will be better equipped to move their sustainability efforts forward.Google EarthOur planet has seen rapid environmental change in the past half-centurymore than at any other point in human history.Timelapse in Google Earth is a global,zoomable time-lapse video of the

248、 planet,providing a clearer picture of Earths dynamic change since 1984not just problems,but also solutions,as well as beautiful natural phenomena that unfold over decadesfrom irrigation systems emerging in the deserts of Egypt to volcanic eruptions,logging,and wildfires changing the landscape of Ca

249、lifornias Lassen National Forest and glaciers retreating in Sermersooq,Greenland(see Figure 9).The imagery also captures how cities have adapted to combat climate changelike offshore wind farms in Middelgrunden,Denmark and a large-scale solar installation in Granada,Spain.FIGURE 9Glacier retreat in

250、Sermersooq,Greenland,seen from Timelapse in Google Earth.19842022IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 272023 Environmental Report Data CommonsSustainability data is fragmented across thousands of silos,in many formats and schemas,an

251、d across a multitude of databases.In 2017,we started the Data Commons project,which aggregates data from a wide range of sources into a unified database to make it more accessible and useful.Data Commons was developed by Google to organize sustainability data from hundreds of sources,such as the Wor

252、ld Bank,National Aeronautics and Space Administration,and the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).It makes this data available to researchers,journalists,policymakers,individuals,and other stakeholders around the globe.Today,Data Commons is one of the worlds largest knowledge graphs

253、on sustainability,including data about climate,health,food,crops,shelter,emissions,and more.Anyone can access,explore,and understand this data using Google Search or our free dashboards and visualization tools,and they can use our open and free APIs to build new tools based on this data.For enterpri

254、se customers,this data is available via Data Commons on the BigQuery Analytics Hub.Data Commons is being used to monitor and address a variety of sustainability challenges,including climate change,natural disasters,water quality,and food security.Climate changeData Commons can ingest health data fro

255、m the CDC and climate data from the IPCC,and combine them by aligning data on location,health conditions,or dates.A policymaker can then use Data Commons to compare these two datasets to identify outliers and understand how temperature changes may affect populations with pre-existing conditions.Natu

256、ral disastersPartnering with the John Doerr School of Climate at Stanford,Data Commons has helped Stanford create a climate disaster dashboard to identify areas affected by wildfires,wet bulb temperatures,and other natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.The Data Commons team was able to tak

257、e numerous climate models and model probabilities for future temperature ranges in specific areas.Water qualityData Commons is helping communities get a better understanding of water use,quality,and availability.For example,a researcher at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras is working with Da

258、ta Commons to add India-based data on water quality.Food securityFeeding America is a nationwide network of 200 member food banks serving tens of millions of people in need in the United States.Data from their annual Map the Meal Gap study is accessible in Feeding America Data Commons,so anyone can

259、explore food security and how it intersects with variables like health,climate,and education.For example,it shows that counties that will be most affected by climate change are also already most affected by food scarcity.This data allows Feeding America to quickly identify U.S.locations where food i

260、nsecurity is most exacerbated by other root causes of disparities and hardship.Nonprofit TechSoup used Data Commons to identify how climate change will impact food security needs in California.This allowed them to see that agricultural counties that will be most impacted by temperature changes are a

261、lready at the highest levels of food insecurity.They can then map out specific food support sites to see which counties will need more civil society organizations helping with food insecurity.Wildlife monitoringIn 2022,global search interest in “wildlife”nearly tripled,63 reaching a 15-year high.64

262、Were using our technology to support wildlife conservation efforts around the world.TerrAdapt uses satellite monitoring technology powered by Google Earth Engine to project habitat conditions given future climate and land-use scenarios.TerrAdapt can help prioritize areas for conservation actionslike

263、 habitat restoration,increasing protection status,and building wildlife crossings.Google teamed up with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation(CSIROAustralias national science agency)and the Kaggle data science community to protect coral reefs including Australias Great Bar

264、rier Reef,the worlds biggest coral reef system.We developed a machine learning solution to analyze underwater images of a species of starfish that feed on living coral.By detecting them more accurately and efficiently,scientists can now more easily monitor the reef and manage the impact of the starf

265、ish more effectively.In collaboration with CSIRO and other partners,were also applying AI to measure carbon sequestration capacity of seagrass ecosystems.Since 2017,Google has been a founding technology partner in Wildlife Insightsa collaboration between seven leading conservation organizations to s

266、treamline biodiversity monitoring with the help of AI and to fill critical data gaps to inform data-driven decisions.This platform makes it easier for conservationists and scientists to collect and analyze data from remote cameras.Were working with partners to leverage machine learning to monitor an

267、d protect wildlife habitats,such as coral reefs.Wildlife Insights helps conservationists protect species from extinction with AI.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 282023 Environmental Report Investing in breakthrough innovationWe

268、re helping advance the next generation of audacious technologies to address sustainability challenges.Incubating breakthrough technologies is essential for the transformative change needed to deliver deep emissions reductions at scale and to bend the curve of climate change.And at X,Alphabets“moonsh

269、ot factory,”our teams are developing cutting-edge technology that aims to solve problems for millions of people and change systems worldwide.Climate-related projects comprise more than half of Xs current moonshots,which include experiments in ocean health,carbon sequestration,clean energy,wildfire a

270、wareness,waste reduction,and sustainable agriculture.X is using what theyve learned from a decade of climate projects to shape the work theyre doing now.Clean electricityTapestry aims to unlock access to clean,reliable,and affordable electricity worldwide by providing greater insight into our increa

271、singly dynamic and complex electricity system.As Xs moonshot for the electric grid,its creating a single virtualized view of the electricity system that can predict and simulate what might happen on the grid from nanoseconds to decades into the future.Insights from such computational models can lead

272、 to reduced energy consumption,lower emissions,and improved resilience to outages,as well as reduce interconnection queues,enabling more renewable energy capacity to be added to the grid.Ocean ecosystemsTidal is Xs moonshot to protect the ocean with technology systems while feeding humanity sustaina

273、bly.Its underwater sensor system and machine perception tools are bringing visibility to our ocean ecosystems so we can better understand and protect them while sustainably harnessing the ocean to solve some of humanitys biggest challengesfrom food production to climate change.Tidals first product m

274、onitors fish and environmental conditions underwater to detect and interpret things like fish behaviors,which are helpful for feeding and health tracking,and predict outcomes such as growth trends over timeall of which can help fish farmers make better,more environmentally-friendly and cost-effectiv

275、e decisions about fish feeding,welfare,and health.Autonomous drivingWaymos mission is to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where theyre going.Waymos fleet of shared electric vehicles provides a fully autonomous ride-hailing service in Phoenix and San Francisco,connecting communities

276、 with the benefits of EVs.Waymos EV fleet is also matched with 100%renewable electricity.Sustainable food systemsIncreasing agricultural productivity and sustainability is imperative to feed the planets growing population.Modern agriculture has a significant environmental impact,such as soil degrada

277、tion and biodiversity loss due to weeds,pests,diseases,herbicide resistance,and excess chemical input waste.Mineral uses robotics,AI,and computer vision to create a more sustainable food production system.Its developing perception-powered solutions with partners across the agriculture value chainfro

278、m grocery retailers and enterprise farms to equipment manufacturers and crop protection companiesto develop a better understanding of the complex interactions of plants,their growing environment,and farm management practices.Mineral is using robotics,AI,and computer vision to create a more sustainab

279、le food production system.Tidal testing its technology at a fish farm north of the Arctic Circle.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 292023 Environmental Report Creating ecosystems for collaborationBeyond our own tools and programs

280、,we continue to invest in promising initiatives that aim to create scalable,high-impact collaboration ecosystems for climate change and sustainability.Google.orgGoogle.org aims to bring the best of Google to help solve some of humanitys biggest challenges.This includes combining funding,innovation,a

281、nd technical expertise to support underserved communities,provide opportunity for everyone,and help address a number of sustainability challenges.Launched in 2022,the Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation allocates up to$30 million to support breakthrough projects that use data and techn

282、ology to accelerate climate action.Selected organizations will receive funding to scale their activities,along with access to Googles technical expertise and products to help them maximize their impact.Our first recipient,the World Resources Institute(WRI),will receive$5 million to support its proje

283、ct,which will use sensors,satellite imagery,and AI to help decision-makers understand where to implement cool surface infrastructure to reduce the impact of extreme heat.Weve launched the Google.org Impact Challenge:Tech for Social Goodthe first open call for European organizations to apply for pro

284、bono technical support and funding for charitable projects focused on tackling complex issues,including sustainability.Examples of other sustainability-focused investments include:AI for the Global Goals,$25 million in funding to support the development of new AI-driven approaches that accelerate pr

285、ogress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.A$10 million grant to ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability to support 10 nonprofit-led projects that help cities accelerate their sustainable transition through data-driven environmental and climate action at the local level.The Environmental Just

286、ice Data Fund,a collection of grants totaling nearly$9 million that aim to help frontline communities that have been historically underserved and disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice.AVPNs APAC Sustainability Seed Fund provides$3 million in grant funding to 13 lo

287、cal organizations focused on sustainability solutions for vulnerable and underserved communities in Asia Pacific.Googlers collaborate in the Event Center at our Bay View campus.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 302023 Environment

288、al Report Google for StartupsBy investing early in technologies aimed at tackling sustainability challenges like climate change,we have the potential to move the needle on sustainability and positively impact our planet.We have a portfolio of sustainability-focused accelerators,which support early s

289、tage innovations to grow and scale.Google for Startups AcceleratorGoogle for Startups is working to identify,support,and scale startups that are building technologies to combat climate change and build a more circular economy.These accelerators are 10-week programs for Seed to Series A technology st

290、artups,designed to bring the best of Googles programs,products,people,and technology to some of the most innovative and impactful climate change and circular economy technologists.In addition to mentorship and technical project support,the accelerator focuses on product design,customer acquisition,a

291、nd leadership development for founders.Google for Startups Accelerator:Climate Change:Since launching the program in 2021,weve hostedfour climate accelerators,each with a distinctgeographic focus.The first three cohorts included 33startups in North America that report theyve raisedover$650 million i

292、n funding.We also announced theexpansion of this program to Europe,in partnershipwith Google Cloud,where we worked closely toaccelerate 13 climate tech companies from the subsectors of Agtech,SaaS,fintech,real estate,supplychain,and circular economy.Google for Startups Accelerator:CircularEconomy:La

293、unched in 2022,this new programfocuses on supporting startups and nonprofits inNorth America and Asia Pacific working on challengesrelated to advancing a more circular economyfromfood waste to fashion,recycling,and reusewithtechnical solutions.Startups for Sustainable DevelopmentThrough our Startups

294、 for Sustainable Development program,were working with impact-driven startups using technology to build a more sustainable future.All are on a mission to address one or more of the U.N.s 17 Sustainable Development Goals,from eradicating poverty and hunger to improving healthcare and advancing climat

295、e action.We provide them with long-term support to scale their impact:mentoring from expert advisors,connections to funding partners,and access to cutting-edge research and technology.The program now supports nearly 400 startups in over 60 countries,working with a network of over 140 partner organiz

296、ations.2022 HIGHLIGHTOur Startups for Sustainable Development program now supports nearly 400 startups in over 60 countries working with a network of over 140 partner organizations.The Google.org Impact Challenge on Climate Innovation supports breakthrough projects that use data and technology to ac

297、celerate climate action.The journey aheadFrom measuring and monitoring changes on the Earths surface,improving forecast and prediction models for flooding and wildfires,optimizing operations,combining disparate data sources,and designing more efficient products,we continue to leverage our expertise

298、in technology and apply the latest advancements to help solve global challenges.We believe that by working together with our partners and customers,we can make a real difference in addressing the challenges of climate change and ecosystem degradation.LEARN MOREData CommonsEnvironmental Insights Expl

299、orerGoogle Cloud sustainabilityGoogle Earth EngineSustainability-focused acceleratorsIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 312023 Environmental Report Operating sustainablyWere showing the way forward through our own operationsOur am

300、bitionOur operationsNet-zero carbonWater stewardshipCircular economyNature and biodiversitySpotlight:Building a more sustainable campus in Mountain ViewIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 322023 Environmental Report Our ambitionOur

301、 work on sustainability started with our own operations,and weve worked hard to lead by example,with the ultimate goal of driving larger systems change.We set ambitious sustainability goals.We share the innovations we create and the lessons we learn with others,so we can help accelerate the global t

302、ransition to a low-carbon and sustainable future.Were working to drive sustainability across our operations in four key ways:accelerating the transition to a net-zero carbon future,advancing water stewardship,building a circular economy,and protecting nature and biodiversity.Our operationsGoogle use

303、s energy,natural resources,and products and services to build our workplaces,data centers,and consumer hardware products.At the end of 2022,we had offices and data centers in roughly 200 cities and nearly 60 countries around the world.We also had two retail stores,both in New York City.The products

304、and services that our customers and users rely onlike Gmail,Google Cloud,Search,and YouTubeare powered by our data centers and networking infrastructure.At the end of 2022,we had 28 Google-owned and-operated data center campuses across 24 data center locations65 on four continents,as well as more th

305、an 30 Google Cloud regions.In addition to our Google-owned and-operated data centers,we use additional third-party-operated data centers as well.We work worldwide with suppliers that support our business and operations,including hardware manufacturing and indirect services.Through our SupplierRespon

306、sibility program,we collaborate with stakeholders across our supply chain to uphold our high standards for protecting workers and the environment.Googles data center in St.Ghislain,Belgium.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 332023

307、 Environmental Report Net-zero carbonWe aim to achieve net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030Our ambitionOur approachMeasuring our carbon footprintReducing carbon emissionsAdvancing carbon-free energyManaging residual emissionsThe journey aheadOur ambitionThe United

308、Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is unequivocal:climate change is an urgent threat to human well-being and the health of the planet.66 While the last several years have seen significant progress in mobilizing the global community to take more ambitious climate action,the world isnt

309、on track to meet the targets established by the Paris Agreement to limit temperature rise to 1.5C.67 At Google,were working to accelerate the transition to a carbon-free future.We know that our responsibility begins with our own carbon footprint,which is why weve taken significant steps over the pas

310、t two decades to minimize our own emissions.In 2021,we set our most ambitious goal yet:to achieve net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain by 2030.To accomplish this,we aim to reduce 50%of our combined Scope 1,Scope 2(market-based),and Scope 3 absolute emissions(versus our 201

311、9 baseline)before 2030,and plan to invest in nature-based and technology-based carbon removal solutions to neutralize our remaining emissions.Weve formally committed to the Science Based Targets initiative(SBTi)to seek their validation of our absolute emissions reduction target.One of the key levers

312、 for reducing emissions from our operations is transitioning to clean energy.Energy use contributes to a significant share of our carbon footprint due to the electricity needs of our operationsin particular,our data centers.Thats why,in 2020,we set a goal to operate our data centers and office campu

313、ses on 24/7 carbon-free energy on every grid where we operate by 2030(24/7 CFE).Weve been working hard to transition our operations and the electricity grids that serve us to cleaner sources of power,through a combination of clean energy procurement,technology innovation,and policy advocacy.And we e

314、xpect our work to decarbonize electricity grids where we operate to contribute to decarbonization across our value chain as well.Charting our pathAchieving net-zero emissions and 24/7 CFE by 2030 are extremely ambitious goalswhat we call“moonshots.”We also know that our path to net-zero emissions wo

315、nt be easy or linear;it may require us to navigate significant uncertainty and deploy new systems and technologies across our business.Some of our plans will take years to deliver their full results,particularly where they involve building new large-scale infrastructure with long lead times.So as ou

316、r business continues to evolve,we expect our emissions to rise before dropping towards our absolute emissions reduction target.In our third decade of climate action,we recognize that we cant achieve our goals alone.Transitioning to a carbon-free future will require stronger government policies and p

317、artnerships with many other organizations,as well as new technologies and structural changes to the broader systems that serve our operations and value chain,such as electricity grids and hardware supply chains.IntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyW

318、orking together 342023 Environmental Report It will be especially critical for governments around the world to enact policies that drive rapid technological and economic transformations,including the full decarbonization of the global energy system.Thats why Google advocates for stronger clean energ

319、y and climate policies,and partners with many other organizations to accelerate clean energy and climate progress.Weve played instrumental roles in setting up advocacy organizations,including the Clean Energy Buyers Association(CEBA)in the United States,the RE-Source Platform in Europe,and the Asia

320、Clean Energy Coalition(ACEC).To learn more about our public policy and advocacy,including policy engagement,trade associations,memberships,and partnerships,see the Governance and Engagement section.Challenges to addressWhile were excited about our net-zero emissions journey,we recognize that we face

321、 many challenges.For example:Growing energy needs As we work towards our absolute 50%emissions reduction target,our business is continuing to evolve to meet the needs of a rapidly digitalizing world,and to harness the opportunities presented by AI technology.Our operations and value chain are global

322、 and involve a diverse range of industries,which means we must make progress within hard-to-abate sectors and carbon-intensive geographies,such as the Asia Pacific region.We have a large number of different suppliers,both direct and indirect,each with climate programs that differ widely in maturity.

323、In some cases,this limits our ability to successfully influence them,and to collect the data needed to accurately estimate our Scope 3 emissions.Availability of carbon-free energy There are often long lead times between our investments and resulting GHG reductions.For example,with new wind and solar

324、 projects,it can take years before projects that we contract are constructed and begin to generate clean electricity.System-level decarbonization is proceeding more slowly than needed in many regions and sectors,and while we aim to accelerate these changes through our efforts and engagement,they are

325、nt within our control.Use of carbon removals Because the carbon removals sector is in the earliest stage of development,costs are currently high,and there are limited volumes of removals available for purchase.68As we move towards our net-zero goal,the scale of these challenges will only increase,al

326、ong with the difficulty of additional progress.We believe that the urgency of climate change demands immediate action,and setting ambitious,near-term targets is a valuable way to focus our efforts and drive important progress across the energy systems and value chains in which we operate.Norther Off

327、shore wind farm in Belgium(92 MW for Google)Our approachOur core business involves using data to solve hard problems,and our unique strength is combining engineering skills with an innovative mindset and a global reach.There are three main focus areas that make up our approach to our net-zero goal:r

328、educing emissions across our operations and value chain,advancing carbon-free energy,and addressing our residual emissions with carbon removals(see Figure 10).FIGURE 10Our net-zero approachCarbon reductionReduce emissions across our operations and value chainCarbon-free energyAdvance carbon-free ene

329、rgy across our operations and value chain Carbon removalsAddress our residual emissions with carbon removalsIntroductionAppendixEmpowering individualsGovernance and engagementOperating sustainablyWorking together 352023 Environmental Report Measuring our carbon footprintWe began calculating our annu

330、al carbon footprint in 2006.Every year since 2009,weve publicly reported the results to CDP,a global organization that asks companies to disclose information on their GHG emissions performance and management.In 2022,our total GHG emissions were approximately 10.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxid

331、e equivalent(tCO2e),which represents our Scope 1,Scope 2 (market-based),and Scope 3 emissions.In 2022,our total operational emissions were approximately 2.9 million tCO2e,where operational emissions represent Scope 1 and Scope 2(market-based)emissions,as well as Scope 3 emissions from business trave

332、l and employee commuting,including teleworking(see Figure 11).FIGURE 11Our carbon footprintScope 1:91K tCO2eScope 3(total):7.6M tCO2eScope 2(market-based):2.5M tCO2eTotal emissions:10.2M tCO2eOperationalemissions:2.95M tCO2eScope Scope 1 Scope 2Scope 3Scope 3Scope 3Scope 3Scope 3 Scope 3Total emissi

333、ons10,183,400100%(market-based)Business travelEmployee commuting(including teleworking)Capital goodsUpstream transportation and distributionOther categories(total)91,2002,492,200211,000151,0002,096,000556,0004,586,0007,600,0001%24%2%2%21%5%45%75%tCO2e%Scope 1 emissionsScope 1 emissions represent 1%of our carbon footprint.Our main sources of Scope 1 emissions include transportation(company vehicles