Recent IPCC assessments articulate a stark imperative: global carbon emissions must drastically decline by 2025 to forestall the worst climate change impacts. Meanwhile Amazon's 2022 carbon emissions totaled 71.27 million metric tons, marking an 18% rise from 2020 and a 40% surge since 2019, the year Amazon unveiled the Climate Pledge. This trend starkly diverges from the IPCC’s call for a halving of emissions by 2030. The current trajectory not only undermines Amazon's stated commitments but also ignores the climate science consensus, which prescribes immediate and substantial emissions reductions within this decade.

This juncture demands more than nominal adherence to a Climate Pledge that falls short of scientific benchmarks. Furthermore, opaque reporting obscures the actual environmental toll of Amazon's full product range, eroding the trust of consumers and stakeholders. A reimagined pledge must encompass a robust plan to achieve net-zero shipping emissions by 2030, upholding principles of environmental justice and recognizing the inequitable burden on frontline communities. The environmental cost of Amazon’s operations, particularly the staggering CO2 emissions from post-holiday returns and the associated waste, accentuates the imperative for change.

On the backdrop of the holiday shopping season, we urge Amazon to:

1. Stop using misleading reporting techniques that understate the environmental impact and expand environmental reporting to include the footprint of third-party vendors and all delivery services, not just those directly owned by Amazon.
2. Reformulate the Climate Pledge to agree with scientific imperatives for significant emissions reductions by 2025.
3. Commit to a detailed, actionable plan for zero emissions from shipping by 2030 with measurable milestones and independent audits.
4. Stop union busting and involve workers in decision-making processes, especially those related to sustainability.

Amazon's current and future actions bear significant weight in the global effort to combat climate change. As you reap the financial gains from consumer behavior, you inherit the imperative to act responsibly and protect our shared environment. We are no longer in a position to set distant goals; immediate and decisive action is necessary.

Amazon's current and future actions bear significant weight in the global effort to combat climate change. As you reap the financial gains from consumer behavior, you inherit the imperative to act responsibly and protect our shared environment. We are no longer in a position to set distant goals; immediate and decisive action is necessary.