German court bans Apple from calling Apple Watch 'carbon neutral'

A regional court in Frankfurt has ruled that Apple cannot advertise certain Apple Watch Series 9 models as "carbon neutral." The court found the company's claims to be unfounded and in violation of German competition law, Engadget reports.

This decision was the result of a lawsuit by the environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), which criticized Apple in 2023 for exaggerated climate promises.

The court paid particular attention to the company's eucalyptus tree planting program in Paraguay, which Apple used to offset emissions from the production of the watch. According to the judges, this project cannot confirm the status of "carbon neutral". product, because it has no guarantees of long-term existence. Three-quarters of the land is leased only until 2029, and there is no certainty that the program will continue beyond that period.

"This promise deceives consumers, because it is based on a carbon-indulgence scheme with an ineffective offsetting project," said DUH head Juergen Resch.

Apple, in turn, rejected the accusations. A company representative said that DUH's position contradicts the strategies of the EU and Germany, as well as the scientific consensus that reducing emissions and removing carbon are necessary to achieve climate goals. The company emphasized that it aims to make all of its products carbon neutral by 2030.

Apple has the right to appeal the decision, and is likely to do so. But the case highlights the broader challenges that tech companies face in delivering on ambitious climate pledges.