Apple Is Struggling to Meet Its Environmental Goals. The Solution: Extensively Planting Trees

Big Tech is currently undergoing a significant transformation, not just with artificial intelligence but also in its pursuit of carbon neutrality. As companies set ambitious decarbonization targets for 2030 and 2050, Apple stands out as one of the most proactive organizations in communicating its environmental commitment.

At the 2023 launch event for the iPhone 15 and Apple Watch Series 9, the company shared a funny video showcasing its executives meeting with an Earth representative to discuss their progress in reducing emissions. The video highlighted initiatives such as the installation of solar panels in California and the increased use of recycled materials in its products.

However, relying solely on renewable energy isn’t enough to meet these environmental goals. Apple has announced plans to plant tens of thousands of trees in Brazil to enhance its efforts, aiming to transform grasslands into carbon-absorbing forests. Not all that glitters is gold, though.

A Forest Twice the Size of Manhattan

In recent years, a trend has emerged among companies. Installing more renewable energy sources, reducing energy consumption in data centers, and optimizing transportation isn’t enough to significantly lower carbon emissions. According to Fast Company, these actions alone may fail to meet necessary targets. The solution may lie in direct carbon dioxide capture, which has sparked some debate regarding its effectiveness.

Companies are exploring constructing buildings designed to capture carbon dioxide and conducting experiments to identify which types of trees are most effective at absorbing it. Apple has successfully reduced its emissions by 60% compared to 2015, intending to achieve a 75% reduction by 2030. The company’s ultimate challenge is to reach a 100% reduction by 2050.

Chris Busch, Apple’s director of environmental initiatives, told Fast Company that the company currently lacks a “clear line of sight to how to avoid those emissions at scale today.” It seems Apple has reached a point where relying solely on renewables isn’t enough, prompting the need for a new approach. “That is where nature comes into play a role,” Busch explains.

In 2021, Apple committed $200 million to fund environmental and carbon removal projects, pledging an additional $200 million in 2023. Over the past two years, several partnerships supported by Apple have helped replant more than 25,000 acres in a region of Southwestern Brazil.

This initiative aims to turn lands previously used for grazing and cattle ranching back into forests. They capture carbon dioxide and help restore local wildlife, such as rabbits and pumas, to an ecosystem that other activities have severely damaged. This effort is part of a larger program seeking to restore nearly 740,000 acres of degraded land across Brazil, Uruguay, and Chile.

Apple is contributing financial support and technological assistance. However, this involvement isn’t entirely altruistic. “The aim is to generate real, measurable carbon benefits, but to do that alongside financial returns,” Busch told MIT Technology Review.

This potential return will come in the form of reduced payments for carbon dioxide emissions. Busch also emphasizes the shared goal of combating climate change. “We have to cut emissions as quickly as possible, but we also have to end deforestation and rapidly scale up carbon removal in order to stay within 1.5-degrees [of global temperature rise],” he shared with Fast Company.

Notably, this initiative goes beyond merely planting trees. Apple is offering tech support to monitor the project, such as measuring the diameters of tree trunks. The company isn’t alone in this endeavor. Google, Meta, and Microsoft have formed coalitions focused on tree planting and offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions. Non-Big Tech companies are also pursuing reforestation initiatives.

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Not Simply for the Sake of Planting Trees

It's crucial to carefully consider the types of trees used in these programs and other relevant factors. For instance, Fast Company highlights a controversy around planting eucalyptus trees in certain reforestation efforts. Eucalyptus trees can thrive in degraded lands, like former animal pastures, and grow rapidly by absorbing significant amounts of carbon dioxide. However, they also have downsides.

One major concern is that eucalyptus trees require a lot of water, and their growth can lead to reduced rainfall and depletion of groundwater reserves. Critics argue that these plantations may worsen water scarcity. Additionally, in places like Pakistan, large-scale reforestation initiatives have conflicted with the practices of nomadic communities, a pattern also seen in parts of China and Brazil.

Europe is also undertaking extensive reforestation projects using trees that are deemed appropriate for these efforts. However, there’s a risk that some of these trees may not survive until 2100 due to being non-native species or being planted without considering future pests or the impacts of climate change.

Moreover, research has indicated that the effectiveness of many of these reforestation projects is often limited. According to The Guardian, most don’t yield significant climate benefits, and some areas are being reforested despite having little risk of deforestation. This miscalculation stems from an overestimation of the emissions that could be avoided. Disturbingly, the study suggests that up to 90% of these reforestation efforts may fall short of their intended goals.

While planting trees can be beneficial, approaching this task thoughtfully is essential. The focus shouldn’t only be on planting trees but also ensuring that they grow successfully.

Image | Arnaud Mesureur

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