Amazon, Google, and Microsoft Outstrip Bitcoin in Carbon Emissions

Big Tech companies have generated more carbon emissions since 2019 than all Bitcoin mining activities combined since 2014. Amazon alone produces more CO2 annually than Bitcoin mining globally, revealing the growing environmental impact of tech giants amid the rise of AI products. Since 2019, U.S. tech firms began disclosing their emissions, showing a larger footprint than Bitcoin’s estimated 65.4 million metric tons of CO2 per year as of 2022, according to Cointelegraph.

Amazon reported 71.54 million metric tons of CO2 emissions in 2021. Google and Microsoft added 14.3 and 15.3 million metric tons in 2023, respectively. This combined impact exceeds 100 million tons per year, not including recent growth or Apple’s 15.6 million tons.

Comparing company emissions to Bitcoin’s, Big Tech’s footprint is clearly larger. Data centers for AI, Bitcoin, and cloud computing have similar power demands, highlighting the significant carbon emissions from tech companies. Despite Bitcoin mining’s high energy consumption, Big Tech’s emissions are notably higher since 2019.