Amazon is well on its way to 100 percent net-zero emissions by 2040.
In 2019, Amazon announced its goals of reaching net-zero emissions by 2040. As part of the Climate Pledge, the multinational tech giant plans to power its global operations via sustainable energy that will eradicate its carbon footprint in the next 19 years. In pursuit of achieving its goal, Amazon has been investing heavily in renewable energy—particularly wind and solar energy. Recently, the tech giant invested in nine new projects in USA, Canada, UK, Sweden and Spain, and in doing so has become the largest corporate buyer of renewable energy in the world.
Brave New World
As of this year, Amazon boasts 206 renewable projects around the world. These include 25 utility-scale wind farms scattered across the U.S., UK, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. Additionally, 46 utility-scale solar farms are dispersed across USA, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, South Africa, China, Singapore and Australia. A total of 135 on-site solar panels operate in Amazon and Whole Foods stores around the world. Collectively, these 206 projects generate 23 million megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy annually.
The nine new renewable projects that Amazon announced recently are 540MW wind and solar projects in USA, including 70MW energy storage capabilities. Internationally, these projects include an 80MW solar project in Canada, a 350MW offshore wind farm in the UK, 170MW solar projects in Spain, and a 258MW onshore wind project in Sweden.
What is the Pledge?
The Climate Pledge was co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019. By signing this pledge, Amazon agreed to report its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a regular, transparent basis. True to this, the company has released its 2020 annual report that provided a complete breakdown of its practices for reducing its carbon footprint. Amazon also released its 2019 carbon footprint.
Outside of just reporting on its GHG emissions, being a signatory of this pledge binds Amazon to analyze and act upon its findings. The company collaborated with Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) to gain a clear, data-driven pathway towards achieving its zero-emissions goals whilst remaining competitive in the market.
The pledge entails that Amazon adopt effective measures towards decarbonization. These measures include enhancing energy efficiency and relying on more sustainable energy sources. More importantly, it presents a chance to explore technological innovations that can redefine established policies and practices pertaining to transportation, logistics, construction, storage and manufacturing. To this end, Amazon put forth the Climate Pledge Fund, which is a $2 billion investment to fund the development of decarbonization technology and services. The fund will assist advancements in sustainability and the shift towards low-carbon emissions. Furthermore, Amazon has carved a clear path towards cutting its shipment emissions by 50 percent come 2030.
By signing this pledge, Amazon seeks to actively offset its emissions through quantifiable and permanent endeavors. The most straightforward way to do this is through nature-based solutions like reforestation, revitalizing urban wetlands, increasing biodiversity, introducing climate-resistant plants, pollinator-friendly species and improving water quality in populated areas. Not only do these nature-based solutions rejuvenate the natural ecosystem and improve living quality, but they also eliminate the carbon that is already present in the environment. To this end, Amazon has established the $100 million Right Now Climate Fund, which actively seeks to limit or eliminate carbon emissions through nature-based solutions. Amazon has vowed to add 100,000 electric vehicles as part of its global delivery fleet. It will be entering a $4.5 million commitment as part of Nature’s Conservator, which seeks to implement nature-based solutions to urban settings. The first chapter of this venture will focus on Berlin. Amazon will be spending an additional $10 million in reforestation efforts in various locations around USA.
Since the Climate Pledge’s introduction two years ago, 53 companies around the world have come on board to eliminate their carbon emissions altogether by the year 2040. As of 2019, Amazon has reported that 42 percent of its energy now comes from renewable sources.
You can read more about how much progress has been made by Amazon and other signatories here.
