A recent survey by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice has raised doubts about Amazon's commitment to mitigating its environmental impact, according to The Seattle Times. The survey involved 800 workers from Amazon's Seattle campus and other U.S. offices and revealed concerns that the company's expanding artificial intelligence operations would ultimately undermine its climate goals.
What Happened?
In 2023, Amazon Web Services released five new AI services designed to "boost workforce efficiency" and "revolutionize" the operations of oil and gas companies. As the AWS services were scaled and energy consumption rose, some employees began to question how this aligned with Amazon's environmental promises.
Despite these growing AI operations, Amazon's annual sustainability report still claimed that the company met one significant milestone seven years earlier than anticipated. In 2023, Amazon matched all of the electricity consumed across its global operations with 100% renewable energy. This is the claim that led to the survey from Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, which said in July that Amazon's calculations were misleading.
Why Is This Important?
Amazon's increased reliance on AI raises significant environmental challenges. AI technologies demand a vast amount of energy to power data centers, and as Amazon expands its operations, energy use is expected to soar. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council warns that data centers in the Pacific Northwest could soon consume up to 4,000 megawatts of electricity by 2029, potentially overwhelming regional power grids.
"People are worried," said one employee who works for Amazon Web Services. "Any sort of climate impact of what we're doing feels really, really far away from what we're doing day to day."
Despite Amazon's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, these energy-intensive operations present a major obstacle to reaching that target.
What's Being Done About It?
The AWS employee who helped organize the survey conceded that the company has taken positive steps to reduce its climate impact. However, they don't believe that Amazon is doing all it can, particularly when it comes to mitigating the impact of its AI development.
"It's in Amazon's best interest to position themselves as really caring about climate and being a climate leader," they said. "Yet, when it comes to rolling up your sleeves and doing the hard work, there's a lot that's left to be desired."
Employees are calling for greater transparency about Amazon's energy demands of growing AI operations and stronger efforts to mitigate their carbon impact.
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Consumers can also help to hold companies like Amazon accountable through their purchasing choices: opting for more sustainable products and services, supporting companies with strong environmental commitments, and advocating for transparency in corporate sustainability practices.
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