Apple is playing with fire by claiming its Apple Watch is carbon neutral

Is building a carbon-neutral tech gadget really a realistic goal? For Apple, the answer seems to be a resounding “yes.” At its September 9 conference, in the middle of iPhone 16 announcements and Apple Intelligence, the firm again explained that its brand new Apple Watch Series 10 had zero impact on the environment.

“With the arrival of the Apple Watch Series 10, […] Customers can now choose a carbon-neutral Apple Watch model, regardless of material“, assure the firm's press release. Further on, the small print specifies that this mainly concerns watches.combined with the Sport Loop, the Braided Single Loop Bracelet or the new Milanese Bracelet model“. The same goes for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in its new black dress which has a zero carbon footprint as long as it is paired with the Alpine, Trail or Titanium Milanese loop.

Apple provokes the European Union

How on earth can such a complex device be carbon neutral, you may ask?Through a drastic reduction in carbon emissions from the three main sources (materials, electricity and transport) and the use of high-quality carbon credits“, assures the company. An argument that could very soon put Apple at odds with European rules.

A directive adopted in Brussels last March will ban, from 2026, the “misleading environmental claims“like the one ensuring that a product”has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment“. Intended to better inform consumers about the impact of their purchases, these rules specify that it is “particularly important to prohibit making claims based on the offsetting of greenhouse gas emissions“, which is exactly what Apple is doing here.

The company does not hide it. In the environmental report of its Apple Watch Series 10it is noted in black and white that the 8 kg and some of CO2 generated by the product are “offset” by carbon credits.

Carbon neutrality is deceptive

It is important to note that the concept of “carbon neutrality” applied to businesses or goods is now widely criticized. In 2021, Ademe explained that this principle “only really makes sense on a global scale“since it is the only analytical framework that allows us to effectively get rid of”methodological and ethical biases” inherent in this kind of approach.

The biases discussed here include, among other things: The dubious effectiveness of carbon offsetting initiativesTHE Impossible promises of recycling rare earths or even the difficulty of reporting of the various aspects of the climate problem focusing only on the amount of carbon dioxide released.

The Apple company is therefore playing with fire. Of course, the regulation has not yet been translated into the national legislation of European countries, but if Apple continues to sell its Apple Watch Series 10 or its Apple Watch Ultra with the same argument in two years, the company will expose itself to significant reprimands. But that does not matter, the company seems to want to take advantage of the time it has been given to green its image, even if it means attracting the big eyes of Brussels… once again.