The Climate Pledge, a commitment co-founded by
Amazon and Global Optimism, calls on signatories to take urgent
action to meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early
Signatories are implementing real,
science-based, high-impact changes to their businesses, including
deploying renewable energy, investing in sustainable buildings, and
mobilizing supply chains to reach net zero by 2040
Today, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Global Optimism announced that
Best Buy, McKinstry, Real Betis, Schneider Electric, and Siemens
have joined The Climate Pledge, a
commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040—a decade ahead of the
Paris Accord’s goal of 2050.
These new signatories to The Climate Pledge agree to:
- Measure and report greenhouse gas emissions on a regular
basis;
- Implement decarbonization strategies in line with the Paris
Agreement through real business changes and innovations, including
efficiency improvements, renewable energy, materials reductions,
and other carbon emission elimination strategies;
- Neutralize any remaining emissions with additional,
quantifiable, real, permanent, and socially-beneficial offsets to
achieve net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040.
“From hurricanes to forest fires, climate change is leading to
very real, negative impacts to our daily lives even sooner than
scientists expected. Every company has a role to play in fighting
climate change, and we welcome these new Climate Pledge signatories
who are stepping up and committing to reach net-zero carbon by
2040,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. “They are showing
important leadership in accelerating the transition to a low carbon
economy to protect the planet for future generations.”
To achieve a net-zero carbon footprint, Best Buy will continue
to measure, manage and decarbonize its emissions, increase the
energy efficiency of its operations, and invest in carbon
offsetting projects. Since 2009, the company has reduced its carbon
emissions by 56% through investments in LED lighting, controls
systems and hybrid vehicles. The company has also undertaken
investments in utility-scale solar generation like the Best Buy
Solar Field, which powers the equivalent of 260 Best Buy stores
each year. Through its previously established science-based target,
the company aims to reduce emissions in its operations by 75% and
help customers reduce product emissions by 20%, saving the company
$5 billion on utility costs by 2030. And as it looks to the future
and meeting the 2040 requirements of The Climate Pledge, Best Buy’s
focus areas may include fleet electrification, energy efficiency,
renewable energy investments, and the development of carbon offset
projects.
“We are a purposeful, values-driven company, with a long history
of environmental work that includes meaningfully reducing our
carbon footprint and helping our customers do the same,” said Corie
Barry, Best Buy CEO. “We are proud to take the next step by
committing to The Climate Pledge. Simply put, our customers and
employees expect this degree of commitment from us and the planet
demands it.”
McKinstry, a U.S. engineering, construction and energy services
firm, has a three-fold plan. McKinstry will reduce its net
greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2025 and reach net-zero carbon
by 2030. McKinstry will use its impact and influence to support
community organizations who are leading approaches to preserve the
planet. It will also work with building owners and operators to
deliver more buildings that aim for zero-carbon, energy-sharing,
high-efficiency operations, and optimal building-to-grid
interactions. This leads to occupant behavior that helps to
transform buildings from blind energy consumers to valuable assets
that serve the grid.
“Buildings account for 40% of energy use in the United States
and 36% globally,” said Dean Allen, McKinstry CEO. “Emerging,
complex building technologies are unlocking the potential to
radically reduce carbon emissions and operate buildings with
startling efficiency. It will take working together across
industries to deploy these technologies and decarbonize the global
building stock and dramatically improve energy efficiency. Working
with other Climate Pledge companies, I believe we can meet this
goal and drive real, lasting change.”
Real Betis, a professional football club based in Seville,
Spain, has measured its carbon footprint and is implementing plans
to reduce its emissions while at the same time purchasing carbon
offsets from certified climate protection projects. In an effort to
reduce its carbon emissions, the club is installing a “smart
illumination system” in its 60,000-capacity Estadio Benito
Villamarín stadium and is attempting to reduce its reliance on
single-use plastic. It is also focused on serving as a role model
for its fans: for the upcoming season, Real Betis is developing a
list of sustainable initiatives to help fans reduce carbon
emissions.
“At Real Betis, we are committed to tackling climate change,”
said Ramón Alarcón, Real Betis general business director. “We are
also helping to raise awareness to address the climate crisis, by
engaging with our players and fans. We understand that climate
change is a threat to the livelihoods and the wellbeing of everyone
on the planet, and we are committed to doing our part. We are very
excited to be the first football club in the world to join this
program, and we can’t wait to work with Climate Pledge companies to
ramp up our efforts.”
Fighting climate change has long been at the heart of Schneider
Electric’s strategy and innovation roadmap, much ahead of its COP
21 Carbon Pledge endorsement. For Climate Week 2020, Schneider is
accelerating its own carbon neutrality commitments and reaffirming
that it will be carbon neutral in its operations by 2025 and have
net-zero (no offset) emissions by 2030. It is also promising to
have all of its products be carbon neutral by 2040, with full
end-to-end neutrality, as well as having a net-zero supply chain by
2050. Schneider’s corporate pledge was amongst the first +1.5
degree Celsius roadmaps approved by the Science Based Target
Initiative (SBTi).
“Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Schneider,
and digital innovation is critical to address the challenge of
climate change,” said Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Schneider Electric
chairman and CEO. “We will progress faster towards a sustainable
and inclusive world if we progress together. This is why we joined
The Climate Pledge – to deliver carbon neutrality.”
Siemens’ goal is clear: all production facilities and buildings
worldwide are to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint by 2030. To
reach this objective, Siemens is focusing on four levers: green
energy procurement, improving energy efficiency, decentralized
energy systems (e.g. photovoltaics on factory rooftops), and the
electrification of its car fleet. Besides, Siemens has initiated a
new Managing Board compensation system that is also linked to
sustainability targets, such as CO2 emissions reduction
targets.
“Climate change is one of humanity’s greatest challenges of our
time. Businesses need to lead the way towards accelerated
decarbonization. In September 2015, Siemens became the first global
industrial company to commit to achieving carbon neutrality for our
global operations by 2030. Today, we reemphasize our commitment to
this goal and are looking forward to joining forces with other
Climate Pledge companies to help ramp up global efforts,” said Joe
Kaeser, Siemens AG president and CEO.
“The Paris Agreement set out a unifying roadmap for all
countries and all people to address the climate crisis by taking
action. The IPCC has informed us that we cannot warm the planet
beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius and that the faster we achieve net-zero
emissions, the better,” said Christiana Figueres, the UN’s former
climate change chief and Global Optimism founding partner. “By
joining The Climate Pledge, signatories are not just making a
statement of commitment to the future, they are setting a pathway
to significant actions and investments that will create jobs, spur
innovation, regenerate the natural environment and help consumers
to buy better starting now. This is what leadership looks like in
resetting the global economy.”
Last year, Amazon and Global Optimism co-founded The Climate
Pledge, a commitment to reach the Paris Agreement 10 years early
and be net-zero carbon by 2040. Eleven organizations have now
signed The Climate Pledge including: Amazon, Best Buy, Infosys,
McKinstry, Mercedes-Benz, Oak View Group, Real Betis, Reckitt
Benckiser (RB), Schneider Electric, Siemens, and Verizon—sending an
important signal that there will be rapid growth in demand for
products and services that help reduce carbon emissions. For more
information visit www.theclimatepledge.com.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather
than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to
operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews,
1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment
by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets,
Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and
services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit
www.amazon.com/about.
About Global Optimism
Global Optimism exists to precipitate transformational,
sector-wide change. Achieving a zero emissions future is not a
far-off challenge. It’s one we must get on track for now. Every
scientific assessment shows that to meet the goal of net -zero
emissions by 2050, to keep global heating below 1.5 degrees
Celsius, we must halve our emissions between 2020 and 2030.
Tackling the climate crisis is only possible when everyone,
everywhere plays their part. We work with like-minded collectives
from all sectors who are willing to invest in the choices required
to be on this challenging – and life-affirming – journey. For more
information, visit https://globaloptimism.com/.
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