Nine big companies including Amazon, Ikea and Unilever have pledged to only move cargo on ships using zero-carbon fuel by 2040.
More specifically, the Aspen Institute, which coordinates the campaign, expects other retailers and manufacturers that rely on maritime shipping to sign up.
Maritime shipping, like all sectors of the global economy, needs to decarbonise rapidly if we are to solve the climate crisis, and multinational companies will be key actors in catalysing a clean energy transition
stated president Dan Porterfield, urging other cargo owners, value chain actors, and governments to join forces.
The companies pledging zero-carbon shipping by 2040 are:
- Amazon
- Brooks Running
- Frog Bikes
- Ikea
- Inditex (owner of Zara)
- Michelin
- Patagonia
- Tchibo
- Unilever
Amazon, which has received criticism for its environmental impact, said it was “thrilled” to sign the 2040 pledge.
The time to act is now and we welcome other cargo owner companies who want to lead on addressing climate change to join us in collaboration
said Edgar Blanco, the firm’s director of net-zero carbon.
Moreover, Michelle Grose, head of logistics at Unilever, added that “by signalling our combined commitment to zero-emission shipping, we are confident that we will accelerate the transition at the pace and the scale that is needed.”
Howeverl, environmental groups Pacific Environment and Stand.earth mentioned that major retail brands needed to switch to zero-emissions ships by 2030, a decade earlier than the companies’ commitment.
As they explained, this is the way to ensure the shipping industry did its “fair share” to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Today’s pledge is an important guidepost for the future of maritime shipping, but 2040 is simply too distant a horizon for the retail sector to address the enormous health and climate impacts from its cargo ships
noted said Kendra Ulrich, shipping campaigns director at Stand.earth.
