Amazon’s Climate Pledge which sees the company aiming to achieve net-zero carbon by 2040, 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement has recently been signed by Verizon, Infosys, and Reckitt Benckiser. Amazon’s passion to remain committed to the pledge despite the obstructions presented during the year shows the company’s priority to the health of the planet and the importance that other issues arising around the globe don’t stall progress towards the fight against climate change. Amazon are still encouraging other companies, governments, and individuals to come together and ensure the pledge reaches its end goal.
“As the climate crisis worsens, more companies will need to get serious and challenge themselves to achieve decarbonization at a faster pace, Signatories are committing to an accelerated timeline that will move the needle against the race to stop the continued warming of our planet. Actions like this will cut emissions and slow down the damage that has been done, but we have to act now.”
– Christiana Figueres, The UN’s former climate change chief and founding partner, Global Optimism
Amazon’s steps towards The Climate Pledge
Amazon join Science Based Target Initiative: Amazon have announced that they are also joining the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi), which mobilizes companies to set science-based targets and boost their competitive advantage in the transition to the low-carbon economy.
Amazon plan to use 100% renewable energy by 2030: Amazon are committed to run its operations using 100% renewable energy by 2030 (and potentially as early as 2025), along with a continued pursuit of making our packaging more sustainable and easy to recycle.
Amazon donates to global reforestation projects: Amazon is also investing $100 million in global reforestation projects through the Right Now Climate Fund. In April 2020, Amazon committed $10 million to reforestation solutions across the Appalachian Mountains—funding two innovative projects in collaboration with The Nature Conservancy. In May 2020, Amazon announced its first Right Now Climate Fund project outside of the U.S. Amazon committed €3.75 million ($4.07 million) towards The Nature Conservancy’s Urban Greening program in Germany.
Amazon’s use of EV’s: Amazon announced an order of 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from Rivian, the largest order ever of electric vehicles, with vans starting to deliver packages to customers in 2021. Amazon plans to have 10,000 of the new electric vehicles on the road as early as 2022 and all 100,000 vehicles on the road by 2030.
