This is an opinion piece written by Joe Lanzerotti, Senior Director of Media Strategy at Kargo.
In July 2024, I published a Kargo blog post titled “AI Is Hot. Literally.” In it, I analyzed record-breaking temperature trends that were still developing at the time of writing. When the post was published, 2024 was on pace to beat 2023 as the hottest year on record. June 2024 marked the 13th month in a row to set YOY heat records. Now, two years later, AI is “hotter” than ever in adtech and in everyday life, and the conversation about sustainability is just as important, if not even more so. So how do the 2024 stats stand up two summers later? And what can we, as advertisers, do about it?
Shortly after 2024 ended, NASA confirmed it was the warmest year on record. The 13-month streak of heat records extended to 15 months before finally plateauing. And after 2025 concluded, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2025 was the second or third hottest year on record. The streak of record-breaking hot months ending, along with 2025 not surpassing the warming that 2024 experienced, may seem like encouraging news headlines. But, it’s important to zoom out. The WMO’s data shows that 2015-2025 were the hottest 11 years in recorded history, with 2023-2025 averaging above 1.5° Celsius warming for the first time.
In short, 2024 was a period of record-breaking streaks and climate change acceleration. In 2026, this narrative has shifted. While we may not be breaking records every month, baseline temperatures are higher and we are living at the upper bounds of the system consistently. Historically high temperatures aren’t news anymore- they are the new normal.
Attitudes- and usage- of AI have evolved over the past two years as well. An AP-NORC study from October 2025 showed that “most Americans are concerned about the environmental consequences of [artificial intelligence], and are nearly twice as likely to say AI will do more to hurt than help the environment”. Despite increasing worry regarding AI’s impact on the planet, more Americans are using AI than ever before, with at least 7 of 10 people having used AI this year so far.
So, where do we go from here? And how does advertising fit into the big picture? It’s clear that while tangible factors like price impact consumer behavior more than sustainability claims, there is still a strong appetite for verified climate action among both corporations and advertisers. 73% of consumers say they prefer sustainable brands, and 69% are more likely to stay loyal to brands using eco-friendly practices (like packaging).
Companies and brands have taken notice of this longstanding consumer trend, and as of January 2026, the Science Based Targeting initiative (SBTi) now hosts public, verified climate action goals for over 10,000 companies- over double the amount that had goals at the beginning of 2024. As of April 2026, Kargo’s own sustainability goals are now public within the SBTi directory as well. Additionally, Kargo achieved verified CarbonNeutral status in 2025 by offsetting the entirety of its 2024 greenhouse gas emissions. Kargo is actively working to extend this certification into 2026 by offsetting its 2025 emissions. On top of this, Kargo has maintained its membership with the industry’s leading sustainability trade organization, Ad Net Zero, since 2023, and continues to lead by example in the adtech space.
As AI usage continues to grow and the global climate continues to remain at the high end of the temperature spectrum, responsible business practices are becoming more important to consumers, brands, and agency partners. Two years after my original post, Kargo continues to remain cool under pressure.
Sources:
Ad Net Zero homepage: https://adnetzero.com/
Kargo Achieves CarbonNeutral Certification- AdTech Today: https://adtechtoday.com/kargo-achieves-official-carbonneutral-certification-reflecting-a-global-commitment-to-sustainability/
Science Based Targets Initiative homepage: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/
World Meteorological Organization- State of the Global Climate 2025: https://wmo.int/publication-series/state-of-global-climate/state-of-global-climate-2025
NASA Confirms 2024 Warmest Year on Record: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/temperatures-rising-nasa-confirms-2024-warmest-year-on-record/
AP NORC Study about Public Attitudes towards AI: https://apnorc.org/projects/epic-climate-change-2025/
Axios article- Americans Using and Worrying About AI More Than Ever: https://www.axios.com/2025/12/10/americans-ai-use-worry-survey
PlasticBank- Consumer Driven Demand for Sustainability: https://plasticbank.com/blog/how-consumer-demand-is-fueling-the-sustainability-shift/
Original Kargo Blog Post about Sustainability: https://blog.kargo.com/ai-is-hot-literally
Original 2024 article by Reuters about 2024 being Hottest Year: https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/2024-could-be-worlds-hottest-year-june-breaks-records-2024-07-08/#:~:text=The%20latest%20data%20suggest%202024,so%20far%2C%20some%20scientists%20said.