Apple's carbon neutrality claims are under attack, with European environmental groups and consumer watchdogs insisting they are misleading. Apple claimed that Apple Watch Series 9 was its first "carbon neutral" product when it was released in September, but it quickly became the target of criticism from Chinese environmental research groups and was considered an act of "climate whitewashing."

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Now, Apple faces more pushback from European groups on the matter.

BEUC Director General Monique Goyens told the Financial Times: "Claims of carbon neutrality are scientifically inaccurate and will mislead consumers. The EU's recent decision to ban carbon neutrality claims will rightly clear such false information from the market, and Apple Watch is no exception."

Gojens pointed to an agreement reached by the European Parliament and Council in September to ban "misleading advertising", including those using "products based on emissions offset schemes that have a neutral, reducing or positive impact on the environment".

Although unanimously agreed, the decision has not yet been adopted into law in Europe.

Gilles Dufrasne, policy officer at Carbon Market Watch, also said, "It is misleading to give consumers the impression that buying a watch has no impact on the climate. It is a misleading and word game."

Apple's reasoning is that purchasing carbon credits will account for emissions associated with the production, shipping and lifetime charging of the Apple Watch. The credits are generated by establishing timber plantations and reforestation projects on previously deforested land in Paraguay and Brazil, where the carbon is absorbed by the trees.

However, Niklas Kaskeala, chairman of the board of directors of the Offset Foundation, believes there are "systemic flaws" in the value of carbon credits for timber plantations. As trees are converted into pulp, cardboard or toilet paper, "the carbon stored in these products is quickly released back into the atmosphere."

In an Apple-backed conservation fund program called ForestalApepu, trees are planted on land previously used to grow crops, with up to 25% of the land becoming "natural forest." However, just over a decade later, most of the trees planted were cut down and sold as timber.

Apple explained that its approach to product decarbonization "provides a rigorous blueprint for how companies can do their part, prioritizing deep emissions reductions across the value chain before applying high-quality carbon credits. As we accelerate toward 2030, the company is committed to driving new innovations to lower emissions and scale nature-based carbon removal."

In 2020, Apple committed to becoming 100% carbon neutral by 2030.

Apple said in the report that the move to create carbon-neutral products "demonstrates one of the boldest climate commitments in the industry today. To meet global climate goals, we need to take immediate action to dramatically reduce emissions while investing massively in conservation and carbon removal."