{
  "study": "The AI Climate Pledge Gap: We Tracked Every Major AI Company Building Gas Plants While Promising Net Zero",
  "url": "https://provenbrief.com/story/the-ai-climate-pledge-gap-we-tracked-every-major-ai-company-building-gas-plants-",
  "publisher": "ProvenBrief",
  "contentUpdatedAt": "2026-09-03T16:57:37.476Z",
  "terms": "Free to use with attribution to ProvenBrief and a link to the source page.",
  "tables": [
    {
      "key": "company-permitted-emissions",
      "title": "Permitted annual emissions from company-linked gas projects",
      "measure": "Permitted or identified potential annual emissions from the gas projects linked to each company, as stated in the study.",
      "unit": "million tons per year",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "amazon-pecos-county-tx",
          "label": "Amazon: Pecos County, Texas plant",
          "value": 33,
          "note": "Permitted for 33 million tons of CO2 per year; 35 turbines generating up to 7.65 gigawatts.",
          "source": "https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge"
        },
        {
          "key": "openai-stargate-three-projects",
          "label": "OpenAI: three Stargate projects, Texas and New Mexico",
          "value": 24,
          "note": "Combined permitted potential exceeding 24 million tons per year; floor figure.",
          "source": "https://www.wired.com/story/new-gas-powered-data-centers-could-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-entire-nations"
        },
        {
          "key": "microsoft-chevron-west-texas",
          "label": "Microsoft: Chevron-backed West Texas project",
          "value": 11.5,
          "note": "Would be permitted for more than 11.5 million tons per year; project Microsoft was reportedly exploring.",
          "source": "https://www.wired.com/story/new-gas-powered-data-centers-could-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-entire-nations"
        },
        {
          "key": "xai-colossus-memphis",
          "label": "xAI: Colossus campus, Memphis, Tennessee",
          "value": 6.4,
          "note": "Permitted for over 6.4 million tons of CO2-equivalent annually; floor figure.",
          "source": "https://www.wired.com/story/new-gas-powered-data-centers-could-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-entire-nations"
        },
        {
          "key": "xai-colossus-southaven",
          "label": "xAI: Colossus campus, Southaven, Mississippi",
          "value": 6.4,
          "note": "Permitted for over 6.4 million tons of CO2-equivalent annually; floor figure.",
          "source": "https://www.wired.com/story/new-gas-powered-data-centers-could-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-entire-nations"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "pledge-emissions-change",
      "title": "Latest reported emissions change at the pledged companies",
      "measure": "The percentage increase in emissions each company reported in its most recent sustainability report, per the Guardian's coverage.",
      "unit": "percent",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "meta-emissions-jump",
          "label": "Meta",
          "value": 64,
          "note": "Jumped 64% year-over-year.",
          "source": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/06/ai-climate-crisis"
        },
        {
          "key": "amazon-emissions-rise",
          "label": "Amazon",
          "value": 16,
          "note": "Rose 16% year-over-year in its latest sustainability report.",
          "source": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/06/ai-climate-crisis"
        },
        {
          "key": "microsoft-emissions-baseline",
          "label": "Microsoft",
          "value": 23,
          "note": "23% above a 2020 baseline in its 2025 sustainability report; not a year-over-year figure.",
          "source": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/06/ai-climate-crisis"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "tracker-emissions-counts",
      "title": "Independent counts of AI data center gas emissions",
      "measure": "Annual CO2 emissions from US AI data center gas plants as stated by each independent count or estimate.",
      "unit": "million tons per year",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "wired-april-11-campuses",
          "label": "WIRED permit review, April 2026",
          "value": 129,
          "note": "11 campuses linked to four companies; source says more than 129 million tons, roughly Morocco's 2024 output.",
          "source": "https://www.wired.com/story/new-gas-powered-data-centers-could-emit-more-greenhouse-gases-than-entire-nations"
        },
        {
          "key": "eip-july-74-plants",
          "label": "Environmental Integrity Project, July 2026",
          "value": 660,
          "note": "74 proposed plants nationwide; source says upwards of 660 million tons, roughly Australia's national emissions.",
          "source": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/06/ai-climate-crisis"
        },
        {
          "key": "cleanview-august-conservative",
          "label": "Cleanview conservative estimate, August 2026",
          "value": 200,
          "note": "Floor for about 60 planned data centers totaling 97 GW; source says they would easily top 200 million tons.",
          "source": "https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260811-ai-s-hunger-for-power-sparks-us-private-gas-plant-boom"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "key": "pledge-deadline-runway",
      "title": "Runway to each company's climate pledge",
      "measure": "Years remaining in 2026 before each company's stated climate pledge deadline.",
      "unit": "years",
      "rows": [
        {
          "key": "amazon-2040-runway",
          "label": "Amazon: net-zero carbon by 2040",
          "value": 14,
          "note": "14 years of runway as of 2026.",
          "source": "https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/08/amazon-funds-biggest-gas-power-plant-in-us-despite-climate-pledge"
        },
        {
          "key": "meta-2030-runway",
          "label": "Meta: net-zero by 2030",
          "value": 4,
          "note": "Four years remaining as of 2026.",
          "source": "https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/06/ai-climate-crisis"
        },
        {
          "key": "microsoft-2030-runway",
          "label": "Microsoft: carbon-negative by 2030",
          "value": 4,
          "note": "Four years remaining as of 2026.",
          "source": "https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/01/16/microsoft-will-be-carbon-negative-by-2030/"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}