Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit from customers who claim the company misled them about its carbon neutral Apple Watches.
The lawsuit, filed in a California federal court, alleges that Apple’s claims about the Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Apple Watch SE being carbon neutral are based on faulty carbon offset projects that did not significantly reduce emissions.
Apple announced in 2023 that select watch models were its first carbon-neutral products, achieved by cutting emissions and purchasing carbon credits. However, the lawsuit argues that the forestry projects in Kenya and China Apple relied on did not meet basic offset standards, as they protected already preserved land or planted trees in areas that were already forested.
Apple stands by its claims, stating it has reduced emissions by 75% in watch production and invested in projects to remove carbon from the air. However, critics argue that true sustainability requires tech companies to focus on renewable energy, product longevity, and repairability rather than relying on carbon offsets.
