E-commerce giant Amazon has admitted its carbon emissions rise by 19 percent in 2020 despite its previous public promises to fight climate change.
CNBC reports that Amazon’s carbon emissions grew by 19 percent year-over-year in 2020, despite global greenhouse gas emissions dropping sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic and Amazon’s own public promises to lower its emissions.
In its annual sustainability report issued this week, Amazon said that its activities emitted the equivalent of 60.64 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2020. This is a major increase of about 19 percent from 2019 when it reported 51.17 million metric tons.
Amazon alleges that its emissions grew in 2020 as a result of the pandemic-fueled growth of its business. The company was one of the biggest winners of the pandemic as many shoppers relied on the online retail giant for groceries, office supplies, electronics, masks, and hand sanitizer. Amazon generated $386 billion in revenue last year.
“This year-over-year carbon intensity comparison reflects our early progress to decarbonize our operations as we also continue to grow as a company,” Amazon said in the report. “Nearly half of our carbon intensity improvement is a result of our investments in renewable energy and operational efficiency enhancements.”
Breitbart News reported in 2019 that Amazon announced a “Climate Pledge” and aimed to be carbon neutral by 2040. Breitbart News reporter David Ng wrote:
Bezos made the remarks Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., where the billionaire and richest man in the world announced Amazon’s Climate Pledge, which involves satisfying the Paris climate accord’s goal of carbon neutrality in 2040.
Bezos said he expects Amazon to transition to zero emissions by 2030. He also pledged that Amazon will add 100,000 electric delivery vehicles to its fleet by 2024.
Amazon said the vehicles will be made by Rivian, in which the company said it has invested $440 million.
At the event, Bezos said he expects 80 percent of Amazon’s energy use to come from renewable sources by 2024, up from a current rate of 40 percent.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos even created his own climate change prevention fund, Breitbart News wrote in February of 2020:
Bezos, who reportedly owns a Gulfstream G650ER private jet, made the announcement via Instagram on Monday. He said the Bezos Earth Fund will begin giving out grants this summer, with the money going toward supporting activists, scientists, and non-governmental organizations.
“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet. I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share,” he wrote in the Instagram post.
“Earth is the one thing we all have in common — let’s protect it, together.”
Read more about Amazon’s current carbon emission levels at CNBC here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com
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