Amazon's "Climate Pledge" is aimed at strengthening the company's efforts to switch to 100 percent renewable energy in the next decade.
Last Thursday, Amazon announced a new climate pledge to reduce its contribution to global warming. The online retail giant claimed that it would meet the Paris climate agreement ten years early, switching to a hundred percent renewable energy by 2030.
Tech companies in Silicon Valley, including Twitter, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, have been facing pressure from employees and activists to reduce their carbon footprint. So, it wasn’t surprising when Amazon workers announced intentions to join the worldwide climate change strike led by 16-year-old activist Greta Thunberg.
A day before the demonstration that’s expected to call the world’s attention to climate change, Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, vowed to cut the use of fossil fuels.
In a statement to reporters, Bezos said that the company would implement decarbonization strategies that are in line with the Paris agreement. Along with altering its business activities to eliminate carbon, the CEO also announced intentions to acquire credible carbon offsets with nature-based solutions.
Bezos said:
“We’re done with being in the middle of the herd on this issue. We’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a difference.”
So, how does Amazon intend to lead the way?
What Amazon’s Climate Pledge Entails
Between its 15 utility-scale solar wind farms and over 50 solar rooftops on fulfillment centers, Amazon already generates 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources. However, the new climate pledge would see the number increase to 80 percent by 2024 and 100 percent by 2030.
The retail giant also invested $400 million in a Michigan-based startup to replace its current fuel-guzzling delivery vehicles. Bezos announced the company’s plan to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vehicle from Rivian to start delivering shoppers’ packages by 2021.
Jeff Bezos has also urged CEOs of other multinational companies to join the climate pledge.
Amazon’s CEO told the press:
“If a company with as much physical infrastructure as Amazon—which delivers more than 10 billion items a year—can meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, then any company can.”
In recent times, big corporations have joined started showing their commitment to saving the planet.
Back in May, the CEOs of 13 prominent companies in the United States launched a new coalition called CEO Climate Dialogue. These leading companies, which include Ford Motor Company, Unilever, Shell Oil urged the President and Congress to enact a market-based approach to climate action.
Recently, Google also announced plans to purchase a 1,600-megawatt package of wind and solar agreements and 18 new energy deals.
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