Apple significantly increased its use of carbon credits in 2024, retiring 737,100 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent—its highest level on record. These offsets were applied to its corporate carbon footprint, which includes emissions from direct operations, electricity use, and select value chain activities. That footprint rose 41% year-on-year to 666,800 tCO₂e, according to the company’s newly released 2025 Environmental Progress Report. The company’s total gross emissions—including those from the full lifecycle of its products—reached 15.3 million tCO₂e in 2024, of which only a portion was offset.
A landscape view of Kenya’s Chyulu Hills, Maasai people walking along a path and elephants roaming among trees in the distance. AI generated picture.
This marks Apple’s most substantial offsetting activity since 2021, when it retired 666,380 credits. The increase signals continued demand for high-quality voluntary carbon credits, even as US federal climate policy has shifted under President Trump’s administration.
Apple’s credits in 2024 were sourced from a range of global forest conservation and reforestation initiatives. The report shows a diversified portfolio of offset projects, including:
- 385,000 credits from Kenya’s Chyulu Hills REDD+ project (vintage 2020, Verra registry)
- 100,500 credits from China’s Guinan Afforestation Project (vintage 2019, Verra)
- 100,000 credits from Guyana’s forest protection programme under the ART registry
- 78,507 credits from Paraguay’s Arbaro Forestal San Pedro grouped project (vintages 2019–2022, Verra)
- and 73,093 credits from the AF Forestal Apepu Expansion, also in Paraguay (vintage 2021, Verra)
While the company is using offsets to address its ‘corporate carbon emissions’—which include direct emissions (Scope 1), electricity-related emissions (Scope 2), and selected value chain activities like travel (Scope 3)—it continues to only minimally apply credits to its product lifecycle emissions. In 2024, just 70,300 tCO₂e were retired against 14.5 million tCO₂e associated with product use and end-of-life, further underlining the scale of its footprint.
Read more: Apple: a pioneer in carbon neutrality
Apple’s total gross emissions, before accounting for offsets, amounted to 15.3 million tCO₂e in 2024—down from 16.16 million in 2022 and 38.4 million in 2015.
‘Apple's carbon footprint boundary is aligned with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol framework and includes emissions that are material and relevant to Apple, where data is available’, the company stated.
This increased credit retirement positions Apple as a leading corporate participant in the voluntary carbon market, reflecting both the scale of its emissions and its ongoing reliance on offsets as part of its broader climate strategy.
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As major players like Apple double down on carbon offsetting to navigate rising emissions, it’s clear that sustainability is no longer optional—it's a strategic imperative. Forward-thinking companies must not only measure their impact but also actively manage it through verified carbon solutions. At DGB Group, we equip businesses with the tools to do just that—from carbon footprint assessments to access to high-quality carbon and biodiversity credits. Whether you're just starting out or scaling your environmental strategy, now is the time to take action. Discover how your company can lead the way—get started today.
