Trending Now - Tech Giants Advocate for Eased Greenhouse Emissions Reporting
WHO:
Techmeme - Microsoft has been a major backer of carbon capture technology.
Engadget - Major tech companies including Apple and Amazon, along with more than 60 other companies, are involved in the push against stricter emissions reporting rules proposed by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
WHAT:
Techmeme - Microsoft is shelving contracts under negotiation with carbon-removal project developers.
Engadget - The companies have signed a joint statement advocating for the new greenhouse emissions reporting rules to be optional rather than mandatory.
Engadget - The proposed changes to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol would impose tighter requirements on how companies use renewable energy certificates to offset their electricity emissions.
WHERE:
Engadget - The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is a widely used international environmental standard for measuring and reporting emissions.
WHEN:
Techmeme - The decision to shelve contracts was communicated in early April 2026.
NO_NEW_FACTS
Engadget - Changes adopted by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol could take effect as early as 2027.
WHY:
Engadget - Advocates for the new guidance argue that the current rules allow businesses to overstate their commitments to environmentally friendly operations.
Engadget - The joint statement claims that the proposed policies would reduce investments in sustainability programs and increase electricity prices.
HOW:
Engadget - The protocol's three tiers of emissions include Scope 1 (emissions from sources directly owned or controlled by a business), Scope 2 (emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat, and cooling), and Scope 3 (other emissions produced within a business's value chain).
Engadget - The new proposed changes would require companies to source clean energy that is both geographically close and simultaneously available to their grid-derived power, rather than allowing them to purchase clean energy certificates at any point during the year.
(UPDATED April 23, 2026 21:15 UTC)
Microsoft has decided to shelve contracts that were under negotiation with carbon-removal project developers, a significant move for the tech giant. This decision was communicated in early on Monday26, highlighting a shift in their approach to carbon capture technology, which they have previously supported as a major backer. The news was reported by Techmeme at 19:22 UTC.
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(UPDATED April 23, 2026 19:23 UTC)
Major tech companies, including Apple and Amazon, along with over 60 others, are pushing back against proposed stricter emissions reporting rules from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, advocating for these guidelines to be optional rather than mandatory. The proposed changes would impose tighter requirements on how companies use renewable energy certificates to offset their electricity emissions, which advocates argue could lead to overstated commitments to sustainability and increased electricity prices. If adopted, these changes could take effect as early as 2027, requiring businesses to source clean energy that is both geographically close and available to their grid-derived power.