Walmart is a giant company with a giant environmental impact, which is why the company’s recently announced climate pledge is such a big deal. By 2040, Walmart pledges to reach zero emissions across its global operations without buying any carbon offsets. In other words, Walmart wants to be real zero, not net zero.
To reach zero emissions without carbon offsets, Walmart says it will power its facilities with 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 while introducing zero-emission vehicles for all of its fleet, including long haul trucks by 2040. Additionally, Walmart aims to transition to low-impact refrigerants and cooling and heating for its stores and data and distribution centers by 2040. But Walmart’s not stopping there.
At Climate Week NYC, Walmart pledged to protect, manage or restore at least 50 million acres of land and one million square miles of ocean by 2030 as part of the work of its Foundation arm. Walmart also said its working with the bank HSBC to develop a green finance initiative that rewards suppliers for setting, meeting, or exceeding ambitious sustainability aims. That way, the company hopes to reach its climate goals before the 2040 deadline.
While the Optimist Daily is not particularly a supporter of Walmart, we do recognize how massive the environmental impact of such a company is, which is why we feel the need to relay the news over to you when a company of this size makes an ambitious climate pledge. Hopefully, the steps Walmart takes to reach zero emissions without carbon offsets will inspire other major companies to follow suit.
