Big Tech’s Climate Fight…on Pause?
Microsoft has paused its ambitious plan to purchase 75 million tons of carbon removal, a move that once represented a significant portion of the global carbon removal market. The pause comes as the company faces increased demands from the rapid growth of data centers. This shift suggests a potential recalibration of Big Tech's climate commitments amid expanding infrastructure needs.
- ▪Microsoft previously committed to buying 75 million tons of carbon removal, equivalent to 70–90 percent of the entire market at the time.
- ▪The company has now put that carbon removal initiative on pause.
- ▪The pause coincides with the surge in data center development, which is increasing Microsoft's energy and operational demands.
- ▪Robinson Meyer, founding executive editor of Heatmap News, discussed the implications of this shift on the podcast What Next: TBD.
- ▪The podcast is produced by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort, hosted by Lizzie O’Leary.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
What Next: TBD May 03, 20265:20 AM Big Tech’s Climate Fight…on Pause? Microsoft seemed more enthusiastic about decarbonization before the data center boom. Copy Link Share Share <div class="slate-megaphone__slot"></div> View Transcript Advertisement Listen & Subscribe Choose your preferred player: Apple Podcasts Spotify Amazon Music TuneIn RSS Feed For questions about subscriptions or your Slate Plus feed, check our FAQ. <p class="slate-notification--error podcast-how-to-listen__notification">Please enable javascript to get your Slate Plus feeds.</p> All Slate Plus Podcasts Get Your Slate Plus Podcast If you can't access your feeds, please contact customer support. Thanks! Check your phone for a link to finish setting up your feed. Please enter a valid phone number.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Slate Magazine.
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