Skip to main content

Amazon pledges to meet Paris Agreement 10 years early

Amazon has ordered 100,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) as part of The Climate Pledge, a commitment which calls on signatories to be net zero carbon by 2040 – a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. Companies signing the pledge agree to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions on a regular basis, implement decarbonisation strategies in line with the Paris Agreement and neutralise remaining emissions with additional offsets to achieve net zero annual carbon emissions. Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos says: “
September 26, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Amazon has ordered 100,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) as part of The Climate Pledge, a commitment which calls on signatories to be net zero carbon by 2040 – a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement.

Companies signing the pledge agree to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions on a regular basis, implement decarbonisation strategies in line with the Paris Agreement and neutralise remaining emissions with additional offsets to achieve net zero annual carbon emissions.

Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos says: “If a company with as much physical infrastructure as Amazon - which delivers more than 10 billion items a year - can meet the Paris Agreement 10 years early, then any company can.”

The new EVs are from Michigan-based producer Rivian and the first ones will start to deliver packages to customers in 2021. The company plans to have 10,000 EVs on the road by 2022 and the whole fleet on the road by 2030. This order follows Amazon’s initial $440 million investment in Rivian to accelerate the production of EVs.

The Climate Pledge stems from an agreement with Global Optimism, a group focused on environmental stewardship.

Christina Figueres, founding partner of Global Optimism, says: “If Amazon can set ambitious goals like this and make significant changes at their scale, we think many more companies should be able to do the same and will accept the challenge.”

Related Content

  • Dutch strike public/private balance to introduce C-ITS services
    November 15, 2017
    Connected-ITS applications are due to appear on a nation-wide scale this summer, through the Netherlands’ Talking Traffic Partnership – if all goes to plan. Jon Masters reports. The Netherlands’ Talking Traffic Partnership (TTP) looks almost too good to be true: an artificial market set up and supported by national, regional and local government to accelerate deployment of Connected ITS (C-ITS) applications. If it does have any serious flaws, these are going to become apparent quite soon, because the first
  • New report on rising global vehicle production
    September 12, 2012
    New research conducted by the Worldwatch Institute for its Vital Signs Online service indicates that production of passenger vehicles (cars and light trucks) rose from 74.4 million in 2010 to 76.8 million in 2011, and 2012 may bring an all-time high of 80 million or more vehicles. Global sales of passenger vehicles increased from 75.4 million to 78.6 million over the same period, with a projected 81.8 million in 2012. The major driver of increased production and sales are the so-called emerging economies, e
  • Connected Kerb installs charging infrastructure for EVs in London
    February 4, 2019
    Connected Kerb has launched its public kerbside charging infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) in the London borough of Southwark. The project, which is set for a city-wide rollout, stems from an agreement with Southwark Council and electricity infrastructure provider National Grid. The fibre broadband and wireless kerbsides, powered by Virgin Media, offer internet connectivity to EV drivers. Also, the solution provides environmental and traffic monitoring data for public authorities.
  • IBTTA’s Jones sees turbulent times and a bright future for tolling
    November 10, 2017
    Colin Sowman talks to IBTTA’s Pat Jones about the future of tolling in a fast-changing world. Pat Jones may have been executive director and CEO of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA) for 15 years but in his words: “Never before have I seen so much change coming so fast in the transportation and tolling industry.” Amidst all this change, tolling companies are asked to provide funding for roadway building or improvements which will be repaid for over, say, a 30-year concess