Apple Watch Series 10 is not climate neutral: Court prohibits greenwashing marketing

The Apple Watch Series 10 (from $399 on Amazon) is officially advertised as climate-neutral on Apple’s product page. An environmental report details how the smartwatch does not cause carbon dioxide emissions, at least on paper. First and foremost, the energy used to produce the Apple Watch Series 10 comes 100% from renewable sources. The packaging is completely plastic-free and consists entirely of recycled or sustainably sourced wood fibers.

Apple also ships at least every other Apple Watch Series 10 by ground or sea to reduce transportation emissions. According to Apple's own data, these measures result in a total of 8.3 kilograms of CO₂ emitted during the production of one Apple Watch Series 10. In order to hit the advertised zero emissions, Apple purchases carbon offset certificates. A court in Frankfurt, Germany has now identified issues with these specific certificates, as the money is being invested in eucalyptus plantations in Paraguay, which are intended to bind the carbon dioxide produced during the manufacturing of the smartwatch.

However, such monocultures are supposedly bad for the soil and have high water consumption. Moreover, 75% of these trees are planted on land that has only been leased until 2029, so there is no guarantee that they will not be cleared in a few years. The lawsuit was filed by a German environmental organization and aims to combat Apple’s greenwashing. In a statement to Reuters, Apple said the court had "largely confirmed Apple's consistent approach to carbon neutrality". It is not yet clear whether Apple will appeal the ruling. According to the court's decision, Apple may no longer advertise the smartwatch as climate neutral starting in September, at least in Germany.