Mastercard says it has exceeded its 2025 emissions reduction targets while continuing to grow its global business. The company reduced emissions across its operations even as revenue increased strongly in 2025.

The update comes from Mastercard’s official sustainability and technology disclosure published in 2026. It confirms progress toward its long-term goal of net-zero emissions by 2040, covering its full value chain.

The results are important for the financial technology sector. Digital payments depend heavily on data centers and cloud systems, which are energy-intensive and linked to rising global emissions.

Breaking the Pattern: Emissions Fall While Revenue Rises

In 2025, Mastercard surpassed its interim climate targets compared with a 2016 baseline. The company reported a 44% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, beating its target of 38%. It also achieved a 46% reduction in Scope 3 emissions, far exceeding its 20% target.

At the same time, Mastercard recorded 16% revenue growth in 2025. This shows that emissions reductions continued even as the business expanded. Mastercard Chief Sustainability Officer Ellen Jackowski and Senior Vice President of Data and Governance Adam Tenzer wrote:

“These results reflect a comprehensive approach built on renewable energy investment and procurement, supply chain engagement, and embedding environmental sustainability into everyday business decisions.”

The company also reported a 1% year-on-year decline in total emissions, marking the third consecutive year of emissions reduction. This is important because digital payment networks usually grow with higher computing demand.

Mastercard says this trend reflects improved efficiency across its operations, better infrastructure use, and increased reliance on cleaner energy sources.

The Hidden Footprint: Why Data Centers Drive Mastercard’s Emissions

A large share of Mastercard’s emissions comes from its digital infrastructure. According to the company’s sustainability report, data centers account for about 60% of Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Technology-related goods and services make up roughly one-third of Scope 3 emissions.

This reflects how modern financial systems operate. Digital payments, fraud detection, and AI-based analytics require a large-scale computing infrastructure.

Global data centers already consume about 415–460 TWh of electricity per year, equal to roughly 1.5%–2% of global electricity demand. This number is expected to rise as AI usage expands.

Mastercard’s challenge is similar to that of other digital companies. Higher transaction volume usually leads to greater computing needs. This can raise emissions unless we improve efficiency.

To manage this, the company is focusing on renewable energy procurement, hardware consolidation, and more efficient software systems.

Carbon-Aware Technology Becomes Core to Operations

Mastercard is integrating sustainability directly into its technology systems rather than treating it as a separate reporting function. Since 2023, the company has developed a patent-pending system that assigns a Sustainability Score to its technology infrastructure. This system measures environmental impact in real time.

It tracks factors such as:

• Energy use in kilowatt-hours,
• Regional carbon intensity of electricity,
• Server utilization rates,
• Hardware lifecycle efficiency, and
• Data processing location.

This allows engineers to design systems with lower carbon impact.

The company also uses carbon-aware software design. This means computing workloads can be adjusted to reduce energy use when carbon intensity is high in certain regions.

This approach reflects a wider trend in the technology and financial sectors. More companies are now including carbon tracking in their main infrastructure choices. They no longer see it just as a reporting task.

Powering Payments: Mastercard’s Net-Zero Playbook

Mastercard has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2040, covering Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions across its value chain. The target is aligned with science-based climate pathways and includes operations, suppliers, and technology infrastructure.

To achieve this, the company is focusing on four main areas.

• Increasing renewable energy use in operations

Mastercard already powers its global operations with 100% renewable electricity. This covers offices and data centers in multiple regions.

The company has also achieved a 46% reduction in total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions compared to its 2016 baseline. It continues to use renewable energy purchasing to maintain this progress.

In 2024, Mastercard procured over 112,000 MWh of renewable electricity, supporting lower emissions from its global operations.

• Improving energy efficiency in data centers

Data centers account for about 60% of Mastercard’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions. To reduce this, Mastercard is upgrading servers, cutting unused computing capacity, and improving workload efficiency. It also uses real-time monitoring to reduce energy waste.

These improvements helped keep operational emissions stable in 2024, even as computing demand increased. Efficiency gains combined with renewable energy use supported this outcome.

• Working with suppliers to reduce emissions

Around 75%–76% of Mastercard’s total emissions come from its value chain. This includes cloud providers, technology partners, and hardware suppliers.

To address this, Mastercard works with suppliers to set emissions targets and improve reporting. More than 70% of its suppliers now have their own climate reduction goals.

• Upgrading and consolidating hardware systems

Mastercard is reducing emissions by improving its hardware systems. It decommissions unused servers, consolidates infrastructure, and shifts to more efficient cloud platforms.

Technology goods and services account for about one-third of Scope 3 emissions. By reducing unnecessary hardware and extending equipment life, Mastercard lowers both energy use and manufacturing-related emissions while maintaining system performance.

Renewable energy procurement is central to its strategy. It’s crucial for powering data centers, as they account for most of their operational emissions.

Mastercard works with suppliers because a large part of emissions comes from the value chain. This includes technology manufacturing and cloud services. By 2025, the company exceeded several short-term climate goals. This shows early progress on its long-term net-zero path.

ESG Pressure Hits Fintech: The New Rules of Digital Finance

Mastercard’s results come during a period of rising ESG pressure across the financial sector. Banks, payment networks, and fintech companies must now disclose emissions. This is especially true for Scope 3 emissions, which cover supply chain and digital infrastructure impacts.

Several global trends are shaping the industry:

• Growing regulatory focus on climate disclosure,
• Rising investor demand for ESG transparency,
• Expansion of digital payments and cloud computing, and
• Increased energy use from AI and data processing.

Data centers are becoming a major focus area because they link financial services to energy consumption. In Mastercard’s case, they are the largest source of operational emissions.

At the same time, financial institutions are expected to align with net-zero targets between 2040 and 2050. This depends on regional regulations and climate frameworks. Mastercard’s early progress places it ahead of many peers in meeting short-term emissions goals.

Decoupling Growth From Emissions

One of the most important signals from Mastercard’s 2025 results is the separation of business growth from emissions.

The company achieved 16% revenue growth while reducing total emissions by 1% year-on-year. This marks a continued pattern of emissions decline alongside business expansion.

Mastercard attributes this to improved system efficiency, renewable energy use, and better infrastructure management. In simple terms, the company is processing more transactions without a matching rise in emissions.

This trend is important because digital payment systems normally scale with computing demand. Without efficiency gains, emissions would typically rise with business growth.

Looking ahead, demand will continue to grow. Global payments revenue is projected to reach around $3.1 trillion by 2028, according to McKinsey & Company, growing at close to 10% annually.

Global data center electricity demand might double by 2030. This rise is mainly due to AI workloads, says the International Energy Agency. Mastercard’s results show that tech upgrades can lower the carbon impact of digital finance. This is true even as global usage rises.

The Takeaway: Fintech’s Proof That Growth and Emissions Can Split

Mastercard’s 2025 sustainability performance shows measurable progress toward its net-zero goal. At the same time, major challenges remain. Data centers continue to be the largest emissions source, and global digital activity is still expanding rapidly due to AI and cloud computing.

Mastercard’s approach shows how financial technology companies are adapting. Sustainability is no longer a separate goal. It is becoming part of how digital systems are designed and operated.

The next test will be whether these efficiency gains can continue to outpace the rapid growth of global digital payments and AI-driven financial systems.

• READ MORE: Visa vs Mastercard: Strong Earnings Meet Rising Climate Pressure

The post Mastercard Beats 2025 Emissions Targets as Revenue Rises 16%, Breaking the Growth vs Carbon Trade-Off appeared first on Carbon Credits.

China is backing a Beijing-based startup called Orbital Chenguang with about 57.7 billion yuan ($8.4 billion) in credit lines to build space-based data centers, according to media reports. The funding comes from major state-linked banks and signals one of the largest known investments in orbital computing infrastructure.

The move highlights a growing global race to build computing systems in space. It also puts China in direct competition with companies like SpaceX, which is exploring space-based data infrastructure, too.

Orbital Chenguang Builds State-Backed Space Computing System

Orbital Chenguang is a startup in Beijing supported by the Beijing Astro-future Institute of Space Technology. This institute works with the city’s science and technology authorities.

The company has received credit line support from major Chinese financial institutions, including:

• Bank of China,
• Agricultural Bank of China,
• Bank of Communications,
• Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, and
• CITIC Bank.

These are credit lines, not fully deployed cash. But the scale shows strong institutional backing.

The project is part of a wider national strategy focused on commercial space, AI infrastructure, and advanced computing systems.

China’s state space contractor, CASC (China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation), has shared plans under its 15th Five-Year Plan. These include ideas for large-scale space computing systems, aiming for gigawatt power.

Space Data Center Plan Targets 2035 Gigawatt Capacity

According to Chinese media reports, Orbital Chenguang plans to build a constellation in a dawn-dusk sun-synchronous orbit at 700–800 km altitude. The long-term target is a gigawatt-scale space data center by 2035.

The development plan is divided into phases:

• 2025–2027: Launch early computing satellites and solve technical barriers.
• 2028–2030: Link space-based systems with Earth-based data centers.
• 2030–2035: Scale toward large orbital computing infrastructure.

The design relies on continuous solar energy and natural cooling in space. These features could reduce reliance on land-based power grids and cooling systems.

China has proposed two satellite constellations to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). These plans include a total of 96,714 satellites. This shows China’s long-term goals for space infrastructure and spectrum control.

The AI Energy Crunch Pushing Computing Into Orbit

The push into orbital data centers is closely linked to rising AI demand. Global data centers consumed about 415–460 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, equal to roughly 1.5%–2% of global power use. This figure is rising quickly due to AI workloads.

Some industry projections show demand could exceed 1,000 TWh by 2026, nearly equal to Japan’s total electricity consumption.

AI systems require massive computing power, which increases energy use and cooling needs. In many regions, electricity supply—not hardware—is now the main constraint on AI expansion.

China’s strategy aims to address this by moving part of the computing load into space, where solar energy is more stable and continuous.

• RELATED: China Joins Google, Amazon, and xAI in the Race to Build AI Supercomputers in Space!

Carbon Impact: Earth vs Space Computing Trade-Off

Data centers already create a large carbon footprint. In 2024, they emitted about 182 million tonnes of CO₂, based on global electricity use of roughly 460 TWh and an average carbon intensity of 396 grams of CO₂ per kWh. This is according to the International Energy Agency report, as shown in the chart below.

Future projections show even faster growth. The sector could generate up to 2.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions by 2030, driven by AI expansion. This is where orbital systems come in. They aim to reduce emissions during operation by using:

• Continuous solar energy,
• Passive cooling in vacuum conditions, and
• Reduced dependence on fossil-fuel grids.

However, space systems also introduce new emissions. Rocket launches used about 63,000 tonnes of propellant in 2022, producing CO₂ and atmospheric pollutants. Lifecycle studies suggest that over 70% of emissions from space systems typically come from manufacturing and launch activities.

In addition, hardware in orbit often has a lifespan of only 5–6 years, which increases replacement cycles and launch frequency. This creates a key trade-off:

• Lower operational emissions in space, and
• Higher lifecycle emissions from launches and manufacturing.

Research suggests that, in some scenarios, orbital computing could produce up to 10 times higher total carbon emissions than terrestrial systems when full lifecycle impacts are included.

China’s Expanding Space-Tech Ecosystem

Orbital Chenguang is not operating alone. Several Chinese companies are working on similar in-orbit computing systems, including ADA Space, Zhejiang Lab, Shanghai Bailing Aerospace, and Zhongke Tiansuan.

These firms are developing satellite-based computing and AI processing systems. This shows that orbital computing is not a single project. It is part of a broader national push across government, industry, and research institutions.

China’s space strategy combines commercial space growth with national technology planning. It aims to build integrated systems that connect satellites, cloud computing, and terrestrial networks.

The Space-AI Arms Race: China vs SpaceX vs Google

China is not alone in exploring space-based computing. Companies in the United States are also developing orbital data infrastructure concepts. These include early-stage research and private sector projects by firms such as SpaceX and Google.

However, these systems face major challenges:

• High launch costs,
• Heat and thermal control issues,
• Limited data transmission bandwidth, and
• Hardware durability in space.

Despite these challenges, interest is growing because AI demand is rising faster than Earth-based infrastructure can scale. The competition is now moving toward who can solve energy and computing limits first—on Earth or in space.

Market Outlook: AI, Energy, and Space Infrastructure Converge

The global data center industry is entering a period of rapid expansion. Electricity demand from data centers could double by 2030, driven mainly by AI workloads and cloud computing growth. Power supply is becoming a limiting factor in many regions.

At the same time, the global space economy is expanding into a multi-hundred-billion-dollar industry, supported by satellites, communications, and emerging technologies like orbital computing.

• Orbital data centers sit at the intersection of three major trends: rapid AI growth, rising energy constraints, and expansion of space infrastructure. 

China’s $8.4 billion credit-backed push through Orbital Chenguang signals confidence in this convergence. However, key barriers remain, such as high cost of launches, engineering complexity, short satellite lifespans (5-6 years), and regulatory uncertainty in orbital systems.

Because of these limits, orbital data centers are unlikely to replace Earth-based systems in the near term. Instead, they may form a hybrid system where some workloads move to space while most remain on Earth.

Space Is Becoming the Next Data Center Frontier

China’s investment in Orbital Chenguang marks one of the most significant moves yet in the emerging field of space-based computing. Backed by major Chinese banks, municipal science institutions, and national space contractors like CASC, the project shows how seriously China is treating orbital infrastructure.

The strategy connects AI growth, energy demand, and climate pressures into a single long-term vision. But the trade-offs are complex. Orbital data centers may reduce operational emissions, but they also introduce high lifecycle carbon costs and major technical challenges.

The global race is now underway. With companies like SpaceX, Google, and Chinese tech firms exploring similar ideas, space is becoming a new frontier for digital infrastructure. The outcome will depend on whether orbital systems can scale efficiently—and whether their carbon benefits can outweigh the emissions cost of building them.

• READ MORE: Orbital Data Center Guide: Everything You Need to Know About This Next-Gen Space Computing Technology

The post China’s $8.4B Orbital Data Center Push Sets Up Space-Based AI Showdown With SpaceX appeared first on Carbon Credits.

Disseminated on behalf of Surge Battery Metals.

When General Motors (GM) committed $625 million to develop Thacker Pass in Nevada, it did more than fund a lithium project. It established a new model for how automakers secure critical minerals, and in doing so, it reshaped how investors should evaluate the next generation of U.S. lithium assets.

This was not a passive investment. It was a fully structured supply chain partnership, combining equity, long-term offtake, and pricing strategy into a single agreement. 

For investors watching Nevada’s clay lithium sector, the implication is clear: the first project has been validated – now the market is looking for what comes next.

A Landmark Deal and a New Partnership Model

GM’s $625 million investment in Lithium Americas remains one of the largest commitments by an automaker into upstream battery materials. The structure of the deal matters as much as its size. 

GM secured exclusive access to Phase 1 production, locking in long-term supply from Thacker Pass, which is expected to produce around 40,000 tonnes per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate. That output alone could support hundreds of thousands to up to 1 million EVs annually.

More importantly, the agreement evolved into a joint venture structure, with GM ultimately taking a 38% ownership stake in the project while securing long-term offtake rights. This started as a TopCo equity investment but changed into a JV. 

John Evans, LAC CEO, said in an interview on the GM agreement:

“They view this as an investment as much as they do a hedge to ensure that they get low-cost lithium. They want to run this JV as a business.”

A key highlight of the Thacker Pass deal is GM’s offtake agreement, which now serves as a template for a world-class OEM arrangement. GM must purchase at least 20% of its North American lithium demand, with the option to increase to 100%. 

The floor price is “meaningfully above” the August 2024 low (~$10,000/t) but below current prices (~$21,000/t), as noted by Evans. GM was given an effective discount at higher price levels, lightly structured when prices at that time were at ~$60,000/t.

GM provides rolling three-year forecasts, with the next year’s volume fixed, allowing Lithium Americas to commit remaining volume to third parties. The agreement covers up to three years of contracted volume at a time. 

GM Moves Upstream: From Automaker to Lithium Investor

The GM–Thacker Pass agreement highlights a shift in the lithium market. Automakers are moving upstream, directly into mining, to secure supply, manage costs, and reduce geopolitical risk. This approach is driven by both market forces and policy, with the U.S. pushing for domestic sourcing of critical minerals to support EV supply chains.

Key elements of this emerging model include:

• Equity participation in the mining project,
• Long-term offtake agreements tied to production, and
• Structured pricing mechanisms to manage volatility.

Thacker Pass sits at the center of that strategy. It is widely recognized as the largest known lithium resource in the United States, and with construction underway, it is moving from concept to execution.

Breaking the Clay Lithium Barrier

For years, sedimentary clay lithium has carried a persistent discount in the market. Unlike brine operations in South America or hard-rock mining in Australia, clay deposits had never been proven at a commercial scale. The uncertainty around processing, recovery rates, and operating costs limited investor confidence.

Thacker Pass is now changing that, with construction underway, production targeted later this decade, and processing planned using sulfuric acid leaching at an industrial scale. Once operational, it will mark the first large-scale commercial validation of clay lithium extraction.

In resource markets, once a new extraction method is proven, capital follows. Financing improves, development timelines accelerate, and the entire category begins to reprice. This is exactly what happened in Chile’s brine sector decades ago. Clay lithium in Nevada may now be entering a similar phase.

• SEE MORE: Thacker Pass Is Being Built: Here Is Why That Is the Best News NILI Investors Have Heard All Year.

Why This Matters for Investors

GM’s investment provides a real-world benchmark for what a bankable lithium project looks like in today’s market. It demonstrates that:

• OEMs are willing to invest upstream
• Long-term offtake agreements can anchor financing
• Domestic lithium supply is now a strategic priority

It also answers a key question that has held back the sector: Will major industrial players commit to clay lithium at scale? The answer is now yes.

The Next Project in the Queue: NNLP

With Thacker Pass moving forward, investor focus naturally shifts to the next project capable of attracting similar strategic interest. That brings attention to Surge Battery Metals’ Nevada North Lithium Project (NNLP), a structurally aligned next-tier candidate. 

NNLP is not competing with Thacker Pass as a first mover; it is emerging as a next-generation project within a now-validated category.

NNLP stands out based on core project metrics that directly impact economics. Its average lithium grade of 3,010 ppm is significantly higher than Thacker Pass Phase 1 material, which ranges from 1,500 to 2,500 ppm. Higher grades typically translate into more efficient recovery and lower processing intensity per tonne. 

The project also benefits from near-surface mineralization and a low strip ratio of approximately 1.16:1. This may reduce mining complexity and indicate efficient material movement. 

From a cost perspective, NNLP’s estimated operating cost of around $5,243 per tonne LCE compares favorably to LAC’s Thacker Pass guidance of roughly $6,200 per tonne.

Beyond geology, NNLP aligns with the same development framework that defines Thacker Pass. The project has secured a strategic partnership with Evolution Mining, funding up to C$10 million toward the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), while Fluor Corporation, the engineering firm involved in Thacker Pass, is leading the PFS at NNLP. 

Leadership expertise also matters: Steffen Ball, a key member of the team, previously led battery raw material sourcing strategies at major automakers. These include Nissan North America and Ford Motor Company, aligning with the type of OEM agreements now seen in GM–Thacker Pass.

Scale, Market Tailwinds, and Second-Wave Opportunities

Scale is critical to attract major OEM partners. NNLP outlines a 42-year mine life with average annual production of approximately 86,300 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent. That output positions it to support long-term anchor offtake agreements, similar in structure to what GM secured at Thacker Pass.

Market fundamentals continue to support these developments:

• Global lithium demand is projected to more than double by 2030.
• EV production is scaling rapidly across major markets.
• Governments are prioritizing domestic supply chains for critical minerals.

Even with recent lithium price volatility, long-term fundamentals remain intact. GM’s investment reflects a forward-looking strategy: secure supply today to avoid constraints tomorrow. 

Thacker Pass carries the burden of being first, proving the process, building infrastructure, and validating the economics of clay lithium. This creates opportunities for projects that follow, like NNLP, which benefit from reduced technical uncertainty, clearer financing pathways, and a market that now understands clay lithium.

First Project Validated, Next Project Poised to Follow

GM’s $625 million investment was not just a bet on one project. It was a commitment to a new supply chain model for lithium—one that integrates mining, manufacturing, and long-term demand into a single structure. Thacker Pass is now proving that model, and NNLP is positioned to fit within it.

With higher grades, favorable mining characteristics, strong development partners, and the right scale, NNLP aligns with the criteria that attracted one of the world’s largest automakers to Nevada clay lithium in the first place. 

For investors, the takeaway is straightforward: the first project is being built, the template is established, and the next project in the queue is becoming easier to identify.

• READ MORE: Surge Battery Metals Strengthens Nevada North With High-Grade Expansion and Infill Success

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The post GM Bets $625 Million on Nevada Lithium Clay: What It Signals for the Next U.S. Project appeared first on Carbon Credits.