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Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

nationalobserver.com

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Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#21

Post by lawlessone »

dfxm12 wrote: post #10
mullingitover wrote: post #7

Meanwhile China is on track to install as much solar power in the past year as the US has in its entire history . The US has maintained steep tariffs on solar panels. Clean energy isn't even some virtuous thing, it's just no-brainer smart energy policy. The only reason for Google to be backpedaling on its pledge is political. It's in a backsliding petrostate and it has to play the political game.

Is there evidence that they are doing this to appease Trump? What if they wanted to do this anyway and recognize that at this time, they can use appeasement as a weaselly way to justify it.

Probably both really.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#22

Post by fmbb »

jm4 wrote: post #11
barbazoo wrote: post #3

> “Running the global infrastructure behind our products and services, including AI, takes considerable energy,” said Google in its Environment 2025 report, which explained that it will be almost impossible to meet its erstwhile net-zero ambitions, partly due to its expansion in AI. Greed, greed, greed. They'd rather see the world burn than not be first in AI whatever that means. They could still achieve net zero, th…

They have a fiduciary duty to shareholders. Bailing on AI because they can't do that and also be net-zero is a good way to get sued.

Sued for what?

AI is not making anyone money except Nvidia.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#23

Post by hungmung »

I strongly suspect that the net zero thing is at least half bullshit anyway, and probably more like 90%. We have forests on paper that have no basis in reality, either because of wildfires or because they just planted seedlings in summer and they died immediately. Those carbon credits don't get negated though. But now you get a forest of carbon in the atmo + whatever emissions those credits justified, while "conscious consumers" pat themselves on the back for choosing net zero products.

Where there is a layer of abstraction involving money, there is always bullshit.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#24

Post by kjkjadksj »

_mlbt wrote: post #17
throw-qqqqq wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No alternatives have been tried on a global scale, so I don’t think anyone has the practical evidence you request.

I think a large nation the size of the former Soviet Union or China should be enough to invalidate communism and centrally planned economies if that’s what you’re suggesting.

Those just invalidate totalitarianism. On the other hand, the US government uplifted itself from the great depression and won WWII thanks to a centrally planned economy. People like to forget about that fact though.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#25

Post by kjkjadksj »

mempko wrote: post #15

The lesson here is clear, corporations won't do anything that's good for the ecology and survivability of our species unless forced.

If only we could remind them somehow that inevitable migration, famine, and mass death is not as profitable as alternatives.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#26

Post by throw9394494i88 »

mullingitover wrote: post #7

Meanwhile China is on track to install as much solar power in the past year as the US has in its entire history . The US has maintained steep tariffs on solar panels. Clean energy isn't even some virtuous thing, it's just no-brainer smart energy policy. The only reason for Google to be backpedaling on its pledge is political. It's in a backsliding petrostate and it has to play the political game.

Importing solar panels from China is a security risk. Like when Europe depended on Russian gas...

Edit: US has no competitive way to manufacture panels, and with cheap imports, it never develops such industry!

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#27

Post by Filligree »

dfxm12 wrote: post #10
mullingitover wrote: post #7

Meanwhile China is on track to install as much solar power in the past year as the US has in its entire history . The US has maintained steep tariffs on solar panels. Clean energy isn't even some virtuous thing, it's just no-brainer smart energy policy. The only reason for Google to be backpedaling on its pledge is political. It's in a backsliding petrostate and it has to play the political game.

Is there evidence that they are doing this to appease Trump? What if they wanted to do this anyway and recognize that at this time, they can use appeasement as a weaselly way to justify it.

Who would want to? Solar power is cheaper than any alternative, so long as you’re allowed to use it.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#28

Post by watwut »

jm4 wrote: post #11
barbazoo wrote: post #3

> “Running the global infrastructure behind our products and services, including AI, takes considerable energy,” said Google in its Environment 2025 report, which explained that it will be almost impossible to meet its erstwhile net-zero ambitions, partly due to its expansion in AI. Greed, greed, greed. They'd rather see the world burn than not be first in AI whatever that means. They could still achieve net zero, th…

They have a fiduciary duty to shareholders. Bailing on AI because they can't do that and also be net-zero is a good way to get sued.

Actually, fiduciary duty is not actually a mandate to be a maximal psychopath nor a mandate to spend billions on high risk investments.

As in, fiduciary duty does not prevent companies from being net-zero nor does it mandate AI.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#29

Post by watwut »

_mlbt wrote: post #8
barbazoo wrote: post #3

> “Running the global infrastructure behind our products and services, including AI, takes considerable energy,” said Google in its Environment 2025 report, which explained that it will be almost impossible to meet its erstwhile net-zero ambitions, partly due to its expansion in AI. Greed, greed, greed. They'd rather see the world burn than not be first in AI whatever that means. They could still achieve net zero, th…

More than any other company, Google needs to succeed in AI. AI chat has already replaced search engines for many people. Nearly all of Google’s revenue comes from advertising.

Funny enough, that was googles choice. And They made the search worst was consciously as a business strategy, because worst search meant more queries.

And they forced ai on top of search because they wanted to.

Re: Google deletes net-zero pledge from sustainability website

#30

Post by cenamus »

throw9394494i88 wrote: post #26
mullingitover wrote: post #7

Meanwhile China is on track to install as much solar power in the past year as the US has in its entire history . The US has maintained steep tariffs on solar panels. Clean energy isn't even some virtuous thing, it's just no-brainer smart energy policy. The only reason for Google to be backpedaling on its pledge is political. It's in a backsliding petrostate and it has to play the political game.

Importing solar panels from China is a security risk. Like when Europe depended on Russian gas... Edit: US has no competitive way to manufacture panels, and with cheap imports, it never develops such industry!

Except when the panels stop nothing happens for 20 something years?
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