Retail giant Walmart is planning to power all its facilities with 100% renewable energy by 2035 as part of its goal to be zero emissions across the company’s global operations by 2040.
The company is also electrifying and zeroing out emissions from all of its vehicles, including long-haul trucks by 2040.
It will transition to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs, and data and distribution centres by 2040.
Walmart president and chief executive Doug McMillon said: “We want to play an important role in transforming the world’s supply chains to be regenerative.
“We face a growing crisis of climate change and nature loss and we all need to take action with urgency.
“For 15 years, we have been partnering to do the work and continually raising our sustainability ambitions across climate action, nature, waste and people.
“The commitments we’re making today not only aim to decarbonize Walmart’s global operations, they also put us on the path to becoming a regenerative company – one that works to restore, renew and replenish in addition to preserving our planet, and encourages others to do the same.”
Walmart chief sustainability officer Kathleen McLaughlin said: “We must all take urgent, sustained action to reverse nature loss and emissions before we reach a tipping point from which we will not recover,.
“People have pushed past the earth’s natural limits. Healthy societies, resilient economies and thriving businesses rely on nature.
“Our vision at Walmart is to help transform food and product supply chains to be regenerative, working in harmony with nature – to protect, restore and sustainably use our natural resources.”
The announcement comes one day prior to the retailer’s annual Sustainability Milestone Summit, to be held during Climate Week’s Hub Live in New York, where the company will engage Walmart associates, suppliers, NGOs and other stakeholders to advance sustainability in the retail and consumer goods sector.
The company has also pledged to preserve at least one acre of natural habitat for every acre of land developed by the company in the US.