German court rules Apple Watch carbon-neutral claim unlawful

A regional German court ruled that Apple cannot continue to advertise the Apple Watch as carbon neutral, finding the claim unfounded and in violation of competition law. The decision centers on the company’s use of a rainforest offset project in Paraguay, where eucalyptus trees are planted on land leased by Apple. The court noted that about three-quarters of the project area is contracted only through 2029, offering no guaranteed continuation beyond that date. As a result, the court signaled that the advertised carbon neutrality could not be reliably maintained for the lifetime consumers expect from the product. The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by the environmental group Deutsche Umwelthilfe, which described the claim as a form of greenwashing and warned that relying on short-term offsets misleads customers about the true carbon footprint of the device. Apple has the option to appeal the decision, and it is likely to pursue that route.

The case highlights ongoing scrutiny over how technology firms defend carbon neutrality claims. Environmental advocates have long criticized offset-based approaches, particularly when the projects hinge on monoculture forestry and short lease...