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While Apple claimed at its event last month that the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are carbon neutral, the EU has debunked this myth and said the products aren’t carbon neutral as promised by the company. The European consumer organization BEUC has now asked the tech giant to remove carbon neutrality from its watch ads. The agency also referred to Apple’s claims as “bogus.”
Being carbon neutral was among Apple’s most-used keynotes while introducing its latest smartwatches. The company mentioned this term 24 times in its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 press releases. However, it later added the claim is made based on offsetting credits.
Apple also noted it has removed carbon emissions from the three biggest greenhouse gas sources, including materials, electricity, and transportation. But the company finally admitted that a “small amount” of remaining emissions are “offset with high-quality carbon credits from nature-based projects.” To clarify the small amount term, it equals 7kg-12kg per watch.
Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 are not carbon neutral, EU says
According to Monique Goyens, the director-general of BEUC, the carbon neutral claims by Apple are “scientifically inaccurate and mislead consumers.” The European Union also aims to ban carbon-neutral claims from ads when the claim is based on offsetting credits. The new ruling could take effect in 2026.
The nonprofit Carbon Market Watch also referred to Apple’s claims as an “accounting trick,” which gives customers the impression that buying a smartwatch has no impact on the climate.
While Apple has now come under fire for lying about its new watches’ carbon emissions, it has cut 81% of its Watch-based emissions since 2015. This is far better than the records of most tech firms and depicts the company’s commitment to its 2030 plan. The EU’s obligations to reduce e-waste also forced Apple to switch from Lightning to USB-C in the iPhone 15 series. Apple even ditched leather-made straps for the new Apple Watch series and added more eco-friendly bands to its accessory lineup.
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