{ "story_id": "6b8ce015b8c2a3f37e2ed46b5b1a904d", "desk": "drm3", "revision": 1, "published_at": "2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z", "content_hash": "cf5284ceb385c84b2b10b6c35da9355800967e0e3c388fb326d58895f83c7277", "hash_basis": "sha256 over `headline\\ndek\\nprose`, plus `\\n` + the canonical citations JSON when any source is placed, plus `\\n#blog` for blogs", "basis": { "headline": "ITU/WBA Report: Digital Companies' 2024 CO2 Emissions Rise 1.2% to 301 Million Tonnes", "dek": "ITU/WBA report shows 200 digital companies emitted 301 million tonnes of CO2 in 2024, up 1.2%, with AI driving energy demand.", "prose": "The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) reported in their 2026 'Greening Digital Companies' assessment that 200 global digital companies emitted 301 million tonnes of Scope 1 and 2 operational CO2 in 2024, 1.2% above 2023 levels. [^1]\n\nThe ITU/WBA report found that among the digital companies that disclosed Scope 3 emissions, those value-chain emissions accounted for 76 percent of their total carbon footprint, making supply chains and product use a larger climate challenge than direct operations. [^2]\n\nThe ITU/WBA report found that only 25 of the 200 assessed digital companies sourced 100 percent renewable electricity, despite being among the world's largest corporate buyers of renewable power. [^3]\n\nThe ITU/WBA report found that operational emissions from four major AI and cloud providers rose to as much as 239 percent of their 2020 levels between 2020 and 2024, while 14 large telecommunications operators cut emissions by 11 percent over the same period. [^4]\n\nIn 2024, the 200 companies assessed in the report reported 301 million tonnes of operational emissions in carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to 0.8% of global energy-related emissions, and consumed close to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh), or around 1.7% of global electricity consumption, according to the report. [^5]\n\nThe Greening Digital Companies 2026 report, published by the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) on 2026-09-03, found that technology companies are not cutting emissions fast enough to offset the surging energy needs of the artificial intelligence boom. [^6]\n\nThe same report found that leading AI and cloud providers saw their individual emissions rise from 2020 to 2024, with four major AI and cloud computing providers' emissions increasing by up to 239% over that period. [^7]\n\nThe report said China Mobile reported the biggest electricity consumption in 2024 at 63 TWh, nearly double Alphabet's and Samsung's 32 TWh each, followed by Microsoft at 30 TWh; the 10 biggest consumers combined used 269 TWh, more than Australia. [^8]", "cited": "[{\"statement\":\"The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) reported in their 2026 'Greening Digital Companies' assessment that 200 global digital companies emitted 301 million tonnes of Scope 1 and 2 operational CO2 in 2024, 1.2% above 2023 levels.\",\"source\":\"Businessday NG\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Businessday NG\"]},{\"statement\":\"The ITU/WBA report found that among the digital companies that disclosed Scope 3 emissions, those value-chain emissions accounted for 76 percent of their total carbon footprint, making supply chains and product use a larger climate challenge than direct operations.\",\"source\":\"Businessday NG\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Businessday NG\"]},{\"statement\":\"The ITU/WBA report found that only 25 of the 200 assessed digital companies sourced 100 percent renewable electricity, despite being among the world's largest corporate buyers of renewable power.\",\"source\":\"Businessday NG\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Businessday NG\"]},{\"statement\":\"The ITU/WBA report found that operational emissions from four major AI and cloud providers rose to as much as 239 percent of their 2020 levels between 2020 and 2024, while 14 large telecommunications operators cut emissions by 11 percent over the same period.\",\"source\":\"Businessday NG\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Businessday NG\"]},{\"statement\":\"In 2024, the 200 companies assessed in the report reported 301 million tonnes of operational emissions in carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to 0.8% of global energy-related emissions, and consumed close to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh), or around 1.7% of global electricity consumption, according to the report.\",\"source\":\"Phys.org\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Phys.org\"]},{\"statement\":\"The Greening Digital Companies 2026 report, published by the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) on 2026-09-03, found that technology companies are not cutting emissions fast enough to offset the surging energy needs of the artificial intelligence boom.\",\"source\":\"Phys.org\",\"instrument\":\"News\",\"claim_key\":null,\"published_at\":\"2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z\",\"publisher_count\":1,\"sources\":[\"Phys.org\"]},{\"statement\":\"The same report found that leading AI and cloud providers saw their individual emissions rise from 2020 to 2024, with four major AI and cloud computing providers' emissions increasing by up to 239% over 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"publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Businessday NG" ] }, { "statement": "The ITU/WBA report found that only 25 of the 200 assessed digital companies sourced 100 percent renewable electricity, despite being among the world's largest corporate buyers of renewable power.", "source": "Businessday NG", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Businessday NG" ] }, { "statement": "The ITU/WBA report found that operational emissions from four major AI and cloud providers rose to as much as 239 percent of their 2020 levels between 2020 and 2024, while 14 large telecommunications operators cut emissions by 11 percent over the same period.", "source": "Businessday NG", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-02T21:20:26.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Businessday NG" ] }, { "statement": "In 2024, the 200 companies assessed in the report reported 301 million tonnes of operational emissions in carbon dioxide equivalent, equal to 0.8% of global energy-related emissions, and consumed close to 500 terawatt-hours (TWh), or around 1.7% of global electricity consumption, according to the report.", "source": "Phys.org", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Phys.org" ] }, { "statement": "The Greening Digital Companies 2026 report, published by the U.N.'s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) on 2026-09-03, found that technology companies are not cutting emissions fast enough to offset the surging energy needs of the artificial intelligence boom.", "source": "Phys.org", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Phys.org" ] }, { "statement": "The same report found that leading AI and cloud providers saw their individual emissions rise from 2020 to 2024, with four major AI and cloud computing providers' emissions increasing by up to 239% over that period.", "source": "Phys.org", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Phys.org" ] }, { "statement": "The report said China Mobile reported the biggest electricity consumption in 2024 at 63 TWh, nearly double Alphabet's and Samsung's 32 TWh each, followed by Microsoft at 30 TWh; the 10 biggest consumers combined used 269 TWh, more than Australia.", "source": "Phys.org", "instrument": "News", "claim_key": null, "published_at": "2026-09-03T08:40:02.000Z", "publisher_count": 1, "sources": [ "Phys.org" ] } ], "note": "A signature proves who filed this and that it has not changed since. 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