The Climate Pledge

Two major milestones, one big celebration! Today, we reflect on the incredible progress we have made in our first five years—The Climate Pledge community is 525+ signatories strong, and we’re just getting started! To celebrate this incredible milestone, we’ve released The Path to 2040: The Climate Pledge Update. Our signatories have set their sights on reaching net-zero carbon by 2040. BRODIE, an international responsible business and sustainability advisory firm, conservatively estimates that when signatories reach that goal the greenhouse gases avoided would equate to more than 2.5 billion metric tons (2.5 metric gigatons) of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually—a staggering amount, roughly equal to one-third of the carbon absorbed by the world’s forests each year. The private sector is again proving its power in driving climate action, and we’re celebrating this community’s bold and ambitious progress. The Path to 2040: The Climate Pledge Update is full of signatory accomplishments that highlight how the community is reshaping industries, pioneering new innovations, and creating the world we want to leave to future generations. Read it here: https://bit.ly/47wycL8

When it comes to climate action, Amazon is thinking big and delivering results. At this year’s Delivering the Future event, our co-founder narrowed in on major packaging milestones as well as its investments in new climate technology companies. ➡️ Amazon has reduced the average per-shipment packaging weight by 43% and avoided a total of more than 3 million metric tons of packaging in just under a decade. ➡️ Since 2019, Amazon has delivered 5.5 billion shipments with no additional Amazon packaging. ➡️ Amazon has removed all plastic air pillows from delivery packaging at its global fulfillment centers. Additionally, The Climate Pledge Fund—Amazon’s $2 billion investment fund—announced three new investments in Molg, Paebbl, and 14Trees. Plus, the list of startups they support includes several Pledge signatories, like Rivian and Hippo Harvest to name a few! ➡️ Rivian and Amazon have custom designed a new electric delivery vehicle—15,000 of which are already on the road, with plans to reach 100,000 by 2030. ➡️ Hippo Harvest products sold in the San Francisco Bay Area—including at Amazon Fresh—use 92% less water, 55% less fertilizer, and 94% less land compared to traditional farming. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Y1C5mL

The private sector has the power to set the pace for global decarbonization. For The Climate Pledge, it's not just about reaching net-zero by 2040; it's about getting there faster and smarter through collective action. With 525+ signatories, we could reduce 2.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually using innovative technologies and shifting demand to sustainable energy and products. See our co-founders at Global Optimism discuss this urgent moment. Curious about our progress? Check out our latest update. 👉 https://bit.ly/4dnzBoC

🎉 Cue the [biodegradable, sustainably sourced] confetti—it’s awards season, and The Climate Pledge signatories are in the spotlight! We’re so proud to celebrate the companies who were named winners at the 2024 Reuters Sustainability Awards in London last week. These companies are innovating, reshaping industries, and leading the charge toward a net-zero future—proving that bold climate action is essential, achievable, and worthy of recognition. Pledge signatory Interface won for the Net-Zero Leadership category while Telefónica took first for the Reporting and Transparency Award. Read more about the finalists and winners here. ➡️ https://bit.ly/4gPMUB1

Imagine if every bite of food you took came with a "food-mile" sticker—telling you exactly how far your food has traveled to reach your plate. Would knowing the distance make you reconsider your choices? Right now, food-miles make up nearly 20% of global food-system emissions, and as developed nations demand fresh produce all year round, that figure keeps climbing. Enter Molly De Mers, the Executive Chef at Climate Pledge Arena. She’s scaling farm-to-table into farm-to-stadium, helping shape food systems and providing fans with more locally sourced foods. Molly and her team are working to source 75% of their food from within 300 miles of Seattle, WA. That means the menu of 3,000 items including local meat, local produce, and local accoutrements is being served up fresh for every event. The “300-mile menu” and the carbon emissions avoided by shortening food delivery distances is a recipe for success. It’s one reason Climate Pledge Arena became the first major sports arena to be certified net-zero carbon by the International Living Future Institute, an environmental NGO that sets performance standards for green buildings and more. For Molly, to do this at scale other venues will need to be inspired to do the same; a ‘W’ for the people and a ‘W’ for the planet. https://bit.ly/3zxtccD

Sustainability isn't just a buzzword at Cotopaxi—it's a design principle. The outdoor apparel company is making waves in the industry by using recycled materials and deadstock to create products with a smaller carbon footprint. Nearly all its carbon emissions come from production so they know it’s their responsibility to minimize those emissions upfront. Since 2020, Cotopaxi has been carbon-neutral certified, and as of summer 2024, nearly all of its products are made with nonvirgin or renewable materials. According to Founder Stephan Jacob and VP of Impact and Sustainability Annie Agle, Cotopaxi’s commitment to environmental justice runs deep. The company believes that climate action and poverty relief are inseparable, as climate change is driving more people into poverty. Through the Cotopaxi Foundation, they donate at least 1% of their annual revenue to projects that support health, education, and livelihoods in Latin America's poorest communities. Some of the impactful projects they've funded include: ➡️ Aliados: Empowering Ecuadorian farmers with regenerative agriculture and market access. ➡️ Range of Motion Project: Providing prosthetic care and rehabilitation to underserved people in Ecuador and Guatemala. ➡️ CARE Ecuador: Supporting Venezuelan migrants with health services, food, and shelter. ➡️ Mercy Corps: Offering emergency assistance and small business grants to Venezuelan refugees. Cotopaxi’s growth proves that small businesses don’t need to "make it" before focusing on climate action. By integrating justice and climate activism into their business model, they uplift entire communities as they grow. Find out more about the progress they’ve made since joining the Pledge by reading The Path to 2040: The Climate Pledge Update here: https://bit.ly/4dnzBoC

U.S. photojournalist and National Geographic Explorer Lynsey Addario captures the grim realities of climate change as it drives migration and exacerbates suffering in Afghanistan, one of the top ten countries most affected by this global crisis. In this photo, Maryam, 55, struggles to maintain her livelihood in Maqsood village, Lower Darisuf, Samangan, northern Afghanistan. After enduring three consecutive years of drought, the village has been left barren, with no water available for agriculture or even basic drinking needs. The inability to grow wheat or other crops has forced many villagers, including Maryam, to sell most of their livestock just to survive. The drought has ravaged the region, forcing roughly 3,500 families to flee Maqsood in search of more viable living conditions in nearby towns. However, the Taliban government forcibly returned former residents to their desolate village. In a desperate attempt to prevent further displacement, the government now trucks in drinking water daily to this remote area. Yet, the water is of such poor quality—salty, sour, and unfit for consumption—that it has led to widespread illness among children, overwhelming the local hospital and leaving the community in a dire situation. Lynsey’s work is essential in bringing these stories to the global stage, inspiring action and awareness, and highlights the resilience required by those on the frontlines of climate change. She is one of 15 National Geographic Explorers supported by the National Geographic Society and The Climate Pledge through the Society’s Global Storytellers Fund.

Just because we reached (#theclimatepledge) Summit, doesn’t mean our work is over! Today at our annual #ClimateWeekNYC Summit event we brought together signatories from around the world to continue accelerating toward net-zero carbon ten years ahead of The Paris Agreement. It was so inspiring and energizing to see that work in action. Today’s sessions were led by some of the world’s leading experts and activists in climate change such as Christiana Figueres, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and CSO Kara Hurst, among so many other dedicated, brilliant minds. Key figures underscoring the value, momentum, an opportunity we have in front of us: 💚 By 2030, 24 million green jobs will be available. 📈 By the end of this year, 500 of the 700 biggest companies will have published their transition plans. 🚗 In 2020, 1 in every 25 cars sold was electric. Now, that number is down to 1 in 5. 💸 Currently, only 2% of the world’s giving goes to the climate movement. Many Pledge signatories, activists, and environmentalists spoke lending insights, reflections, and advice around some of the most pressing topics in climate. Among them transportation, data centers, generative AI, sustainability in entertainment, policy, water access and resilience, and environmental justice. Environmental justice warrior, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist Wawa Gatheru spoke in “Igniting a Multigenerational Groundswell for Climate Action” about representation in the green economy, disrupting the status quo for hiring pipelines, and the need for investment in youth-led climate movements. In “The Power of Steadfast Optimism in a Warming World,” founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Dame Ellen MacArthur poignantly called out the need for businesses to not only think about sustainability but to begin to think about what we are transitioning to. Noting that when businesses design materials to be reused within the economy, they help decouple economic growth from resource production. Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner of Global Optimism and former Executive Secretary for the UN Convention on Climate Change gave guidance on how to keep focused and action-oriented while staying optimistic as we face the opportunities and challenges still ahead. She said, “This transformation is now possible for the entirety of the global economy thanks to all of your defiant optimism.” And, amongst many other wise words, Dr. Jane Goodall—founder of The Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace—reminded us about “the importance of having hope. Without hope we are doomed. Hope gives you energy to fight. Together we can, together we will, together we must change the world.”

That's a wrap on The Climate Pledge Hub at #ClimateWeekNYC! We kicked off the day energized by last night's announcement: Amazon, through its leadership in the LEAF Coalition, signed an agreement with the Brazilian State of Pará to commercialize 12 million tons of carbon credits by 2026. This is the first LEAF agreement with a Brazilian state and a key milestone for global climate progress. To start the final day, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Sally Fouts (Zwartjes) shared insights on The Climate Pledge’s future, emphasizing more global, in-person collaboration. Tom closed by saying, “The future of addressing climate issues lies firmly with private sector collaboration and innovation.” Next, John Powers from Schneider Electric led a discussion on supply chain decarbonization. The takeaway? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach—we need tailored solutions for businesses of all sizes. AI also took the spotlight as leaders from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and McKinsey & Company discussed how AI can drive cost-effective corporate decarbonization strategies. The day closed with a panel featuring McKinsey, Formula E, Nike, Lyten, and Chrysalix Venture Capital on scaling climate tech. McKinsey's Mark Patel highlighted the urgency, noting, “Time is the one variable we can’t control, so we must focus on what we can: cost, scale, and speed.”

BIG news today from The Climate Pledge Hub at #ClimateWeekNYC! The agreement has been signed and now it’s official, C40 Cities is collaborating with multilateral development banks to make it easier to fund electric delivery trucks in Latin America. This is part of a project called Laneshift, backed by $10 million from #theclimatepledge to cut truck pollution in India and Latin America by transitioning to electric trucks and using smarter routes. Lusanda Madikizela, Head of Zero-Emission Freight at C40 Cities says, “The collaboration with key financiers is an important step in overcoming the financial and technical barriers to large-scale adoption of electric freight solutions.” Speaking of financing…☝️ We hosted a workshop, “Insights from Amazon’s $2 Billion Venture Fund” led by folks at CNote, Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), Climate Pledge Fund (CPF), Glacier, and Wollemi Capital. Nick Ellis, Principal at CPF, kicked off a lively discussion around unlocking financial barriers to climate innovation, with business leaders deep diving into the financing strategies and best practices implemented at their respective organizations. Nick emphasized the immense value of global relationships, investments, and expertise when it comes to innovating and delivering on climate solutions. And in the data center world, speakers from Johnson Controls, Bloom Energy, Prologis, and C3 AI joined together to discuss the consumption of electricity and more sustainable solutions to meet the demand. Jeff Barber, Vice President of Global Data Centers at Bloom Energy said it best, “Power is THE issue and sustainability is a close second. Why? We’re massive consumers of electricity. The answer is on-site renewable generation.” Tune in tomorrow for highlights from our final—already?!—day of Hub programming!