Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ sweeping new plan to tackle climate change, announced at an event on Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, includes a deal to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vans from vehicle manufacturer Rivian, cnbc.com reported.
Bezos reportedly said Amazon had committed to meet the goals of the UN’s Paris Agreement 10 years ahead of schedule, plus measure and report the company’s emissions on a regular basis, implement decarbonisation strategies and alter its business strategies to offset remaining emissions.
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He added his goal is for 80% of Amazon’s energy use to be renewable by 2024, before transitioning to 100% renewable energy by 2030, cnbc.com said.
“We want to use our scale and our scope to lead the way,” Bezos said. “One of the things we know about Amazon as a role model for this is that it’s a difficult challenge for us because we have deep, large physical infrastructure. So, if we can do this, anyone can do this.”
According to the report, Bezos said the first electric delivery vans will be on the road by 2021 and he estimated 100,000 vehicles would be deployed by 2024.
The move builds on Rivian’s US$700m investment round in February, which was led by Amazon, cnbc.com said.
The report noted Bezos’ appearance came as Amazon faced mounting pressure from employees to address its environmental impact.
At Amazon’s annual shareholder meeting in May, thousands of employees submitted a proposal asking Bezos to develop a comprehensive climate-change plan and reduce its carbon footprint, though it was ultimately rejected. The proposal was built on an employee letter published in April that accused Amazon of donating to climate-delaying legislators and urged the company to transition away from fossil fuels.
