BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart Inc. has announced plans to “double down” on addressing the climate crisis by targeting zero emissions across the company’s global operations by 2040, according to a Sept. 21 statement.
As part of that commitment to zero emissions, the company says it plans to electrify and zero out emissions from all of its vehicles, including long-haul trucks, by 2040. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are also committing to help protect, manage or restore at least 50 million acres of land and one million square miles of ocean by 2030 to help combat the cascading loss of nature threatening the planet.
“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,” said Doug McMillon, president and chief executive officer for Walmart Inc.
In addition, the company announced goals of powering its facilities with 100% renewable wind, solar or other energy sources by 2035, and to transition to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs and data and distribution centers by 2040. Currently, Walmart powers approximately 29% of its operations with renewable energy, the Sept. 21 statement notes.
“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,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart Inc. and president of the Walmart Foundation.
“People have pushed past the earth’s natural limits. Healthy societies, resilient economies and thriving businesses rely on nature,” McLaughlin continued. “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.”
Recognizing the need to act now, along with the Walmart Foundation, Walmart aims to protect, manage or restore some of the world’s most critical landscapes by:
- Continuing to support efforts to preserve at least one acre of natural habitat for every acre of land developed by the company in the U.S.;
- Driving the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, sustainable fisheries management and forest protection and restoration — including an expansion of Walmart’s forests policy; and
- Investing in and working with suppliers to source from place-based efforts that help preserve natural ecosystems and improve livelihoods.
“For 15 years, we have been partnering to do the work and continually raising our sustainability ambitions across climate action, nature, waste and people,” McMillon said. “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.”
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