Today’s ESG Updates
- Supply Chain Emissions Rise 25% at Google: The increase underscores the carbon intensity of AI expansion, despite record clean energy investment.
- Amazon Funds Major Spekboom Carbon Removal Project: The initiative will regenerate 50,000 hectares of degraded land in South Africa while injecting over $500 million into the local economy.
- Offshore Energy Merger Under Phase 2 Review: The ACCC launches detailed review of the Saipem and Subsea7 merger, citing potential competition impacts on subsea infrastructure.
- Heatwave Disrupts Fourth of July Events: Parades and fireworks displays were scrapped or delayed across the eastern U.S. as temperatures climbed to dangerous levels, straining power grids.
Google boosts clean energy investment amid surging AI electricity demand
Google cut its operational greenhouse gas emissions by 2% in 2025 despite a 37% surge in AI-driven electricity demand, according to its latest Environmental Report.
The company signed agreements for more than 12 GW of new clean energy in 2025 — enough to power Greece once operational. It also matched 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy purchases for the ninth consecutive year.
However, supply chain emissions increased 25%, underscoring the carbon cost of rapidly expanding AI infrastructure. Google said its infrastructure buildout is “currently accelerating faster than the grid is decarbonizing”, exposing “the tension between hyper-growth and environmental stewardship”.
The report estimates Google’s hardware, software, and clean energy investments avoided more than 58 million metric tonnes of CO₂e in 2025. Its AI-enabled tools helped individuals, cities, and partners avoid a further 41 million metric tonnes.
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Further reading: 2026 Environmental Report
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Amazon signs 1.95 million-tonne carbon removal deal in South Africa
Amazon has signed a multi-year agreement to purchase 1.95 million tonnes of carbon removal credits from a nature restoration project in South Africa, expanding one of the world’s largest carbon removal schemes.
The program will plant 180 million spekboom shrubs across more than 50,000 hectares of degraded land by the end of 2028. Scientists have found that the succulent can absorb carbon at rates comparable to those of young tropical forests while restoring soil moisture and enabling ecosystem recovery.
The company estimates the project will create around 11,000 jobs in one of South Africa’s poorest regions. It will also generate more than $500 million in local economic value through wages, procurement, and community investment.
The deal underpins a World Bank Spekboom Outcome Bond by securing future demand for credits, giving investors confidence in long-term financing for the project. The first phase of the project, with 30,000 million plants covering 10,000 hectares, is already underway.
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Further reading: Amazon invests in one of the world’s largest carbon removal projects, creating 11,000 jobs and restoring nature
Related Articles
Here is a list of articles selected by our Editorial Board that have gained significant interest from the public:
Australia’s competition regulator orders in-depth review of Saipem–Subsea7 merger
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has referred Saipem’s proposed merger with Subsea7 to a Phase 2 review.
ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said the deal “could substantially lessen competition” in the supply of subsea infrastructure “critical to Australian offshore oil and gas projects.” The regulator will carry out further in-depth inquiries and assess the competitive effects, with submissions open until 21 July 2026.
Saipem and Subsea7 both operate globally and provide subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF), along with installation and maintenance services for offshore energy projects, including off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast.
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Further reading: Saipem Subsea7 merger requires Phase 2 review
July 4th celebrations impacted by severe heat in the US
A severe heat wave disrupted Fourth of July events across large parts of the central and eastern United States, with more than 185 million people placed under heat alerts, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures reached 101°F (38°C) in Washington, D.C., forcing the temporary closure of the Great American State Fair on the Mall. The National Park Service’s Independence Day Parade was also canceled, while cities including Philadelphia, New York, and Boston also scaled back or scrapped celebrations. Officials said the conditions were driven by a “heat dome” trapping hot air over the region.
The extreme heat also strained power grids. PJM, the largest U.S. grid operator, ordered conservation measures, while Con Edison reported about 17,000 outages in New York.
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Further reading: Heat wave disrupts Fourth of July events across US, strains power grids
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — In the Cover Photo: A mobile phone showing a Google search engine. Cover Photo Credit: Shutter Speed
