Retail giant Amazon’s carbon emissions increase by 19% during the pandemic | Climate News

The company said in a 138-page report on Wednesday that Amazon’s overall carbon emissions have increased in 2020, but the company’s “carbon intensity” has declined.

Amazon said its carbon emissions will increase in 2020 due to business growth driven by the pandemic, which highlights the challenge of striking a balance between fast-growing business and its commitment to minimizing environmental hazards.

The company said in a 138-page report on Wednesday that Amazon’s carbon emissions have increased by 19%. Despite the increase in overall emissions, the company stated that its “carbon intensity” (measured in emissions per dollar of sales) fell by 16% in 2020, in line with its goals. The e-commerce giant reported a similar shift in 2019.

Amazon stated in the report: “This year-on-year carbon intensity comparison reflects our early progress in decarbonizing our business, as we continue to grow as a company.” “Nearly half of our carbon intensity improvement is due to our renewable The result of investments in energy and operational efficiency improvements.”

The report attributed other reductions in carbon intensity to changes in customer and worker behavior related to the pandemic, such as reduced number of shoppers visiting Whole Foods Market locations and reduced business travel by employees.

In 2019, Amazon pledged to zero its carbon footprint by 2040, or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions caused by its activities. As part of the push, it has been ordering electric vehicles. It is expected that 10,000 electric vehicles will be on the road next year and 100,000 will be deployed by 2030.

Nevertheless, fulfilling its promises will be difficult. The company is increasingly transporting goods from warehouses to customers’ doorsteps, buying airplanes, long-distance trucks, and delivery vehicles to make it possible to make aggressive delivery commitments. Amazon’s cloud computing department is building huge, power-hungry server farms from Sweden to South Africa. Through contract manufacturers, the Seattle-based company is a major manufacturer of consumer electronics, household necessities and clothing.