We need strong climate policy now to enable this decade of action

The actions we take now and over the next ten years to address climate change will determine what kind of outcomes we face in the following decades. 

As a business, Walmart has long prioritized climate action in our operations and supply chains. Building on energy and waste efforts launched years ago, in 2016 we became the first retailer to announce a science-based target aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement, which we recently upgraded to the 1.5 C-degree level of ambition. We have reduced our Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by 17% vs. our 2015 baseline despite growing our business; we have more than 550 renewable energy projects in operation or under development representing over 2.3 GW of new renewable generation capacity; we currently source over 36% of our electricity needs globally through renewable energy (aiming for 100% by 2035); and, through our Project Gigaton™ initiative, we have engaged over 3,100 suppliers in decarbonizing product supply chains through actions related to energy, product design, packaging, waste elimination, transportation and nature – avoiding (according to supplier reporting) over 416 MMT of CO2e since 2017. 

We also supported the United States engagement in the Paris Agreement; and this year we endorsed the United States goal to cut emissions by at least 50% by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. To encourage and catalyze action beyond our own operations, we are co-leading the Retail Race to Zero campaign, along with H&M, IKEA and British retailer Kingfisher, with a specific call to action to other retailers to join in with 2030 and 2050 goals.

But even the most ambitious voluntary individual and collective actions are not sufficient to achieve national and international goals of achieving net-zero by 2050. Bold domestic climate policy action is needed now if we are to meet the demands of this generational moment. In the U.S., Walmart is encouraged by the many climate-related policy proposals being debated by Congress, including proposals made through budget reconciliation and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as additional ideas being surfaced in policy circles. We urge our national leaders to find ways to enact much-needed legislation to enable the U.S. to move forward on climate action now to avoid the worst effects of climate change in the future. 

We believe market-based emissions-reduction policies are critical to achieving necessary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while supporting economic growth. While economy-wide solutions are needed, we also need market-based, technology-neutral approaches to decarbonize the power, transportation and agriculture sectors, such as those proposed by the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance. Robust policy combined with the power of markets can accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to zero-carbon energy resources and unlock the climate mitigation potential of agriculture and natural systems. We need policy that helps people across communities working in today’s economy make the transition to a net zero economy, based on principles of fairness and equity.

A strong and cohesive U.S. policy will not only help bend the curve on U.S. emissions, it will set an example for other countries and contribute to momentum for a successful COP26 – one that affirms a global path to net zero. As the IPCC report affirms, global warming is not just a challenge we must address for tomorrow, but one whose effects are already being felt by many communities today. We need to act now and with urgency.