Google has launched Carbon Footprint for Google Ads, a first-party emissions measurement tool designed to help marketers quantify the carbon impact of their digital campaigns, including Search, Display, Video and other media channels.
The tool is built in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and Ad Net Zero’s Global Media Sustainability Framework, enabling advertisers to replace secondary emissions estimates with more accurate and directly measured data.
Andrew Daniel, Senior Sustainability Lead at GoTo Indonesia, praised the approach, saying the shift “from secondary data to Google’s direct source simplifies reporting and improves accuracy.”
One early adopter, Xero, underscored the value of precise emissions metrics. Tamara Somers, General Manager for Sustainability & Impact at Xero, noted that access to real-time emissions data “will improve carbon footprint reporting precision and help identify opportunities to better align marketing efforts with emissions reduction targets.”
The launch comes at a crucial moment: many Asia Pacific countries, including Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand, are rolling out or strengthening climate-related disclosure mandates and sustainability reporting standards.
Beyond measurement, Google is also promoting AI-driven ad tools and guidelines for sustainable marketing. Its Sustainability Marketing Playbook offers strategies for embedding sustainability in creative and campaign execution.
As regulatory expectations and investor scrutiny intensify, Google’s initiative may provide advertisers with a more grounded way to report and reduce emissions across their media operations.
