The Climate Pledge

Two major milestones, one big celebration! Today, we reflect on the incredible progress we have made in our first five years—The Climate Pledge community is 525 signatories strong, and we’re just getting started! To celebrate this incredible milestone, we’ve released The Path to 2040: The Climate Pledge Update. Our signatories have set their sights on reaching net-zero carbon by 2040. BRODIE, an international responsible business and sustainability advisory firm, conservatively estimates that when signatories reach that goal the greenhouse gases avoided would equate to more than 2.5 billion metric tons (2.5 metric gigatons) of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually—a staggering amount, roughly equal to one-third of the carbon absorbed by the world’s forests each year. The private sector is again proving its power in driving climate action, and we’re celebrating this community’s bold and ambitious progress. The Path to 2040: The Climate Pledge Update is full of signatory accomplishments that highlight how the community is reshaping industries, pioneering new innovations, and creating the world we want to leave to future generations. Read it here: https://bit.ly/47wycL8

Just because we reached (#theclimatepledge) Summit, doesn’t mean our work is over! Today at our annual #ClimateWeekNYC Summit event we brought together signatories from around the world to continue accelerating toward net-zero carbon ten years ahead of The Paris Agreement. It was so inspiring and energizing to see that work in action. Today’s sessions were led by some of the world’s leading experts and activists in climate change such as Christiana Figueres, Dr. Jane Goodall, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Water.org co-founders Matt Damon and Gary White, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy and CSO Kara Hurst, among so many other dedicated, brilliant minds. Key figures underscoring the value, momentum, an opportunity we have in front of us: 💚 By 2030, 24 million green jobs will be available. 📈 By the end of this year, 500 of the 700 biggest companies will have published their transition plans. 🚗 In 2020, 1 in every 25 cars sold was electric. Now, that number is down to 1 in 5. 💸 Currently, only 2% of the world’s giving goes to the climate movement. Many Pledge signatories, activists, and environmentalists spoke lending insights, reflections, and advice around some of the most pressing topics in climate. Among them transportation, data centers, generative AI, sustainability in entertainment, policy, water access and resilience, and environmental justice. Environmental justice warrior, Rhodes Scholar, and founder of Black Girl Environmentalist Wawa Gatheru spoke in “Igniting a Multigenerational Groundswell for Climate Action” about representation in the green economy, disrupting the status quo for hiring pipelines, and the need for investment in youth-led climate movements. In “The Power of Steadfast Optimism in a Warming World,” founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Dame Ellen MacArthur poignantly called out the need for businesses to not only think about sustainability but to begin to think about what we are transitioning to. Noting that when businesses design materials to be reused within the economy, they help decouple economic growth from resource production. Christiana Figueres, Founding Partner of Global Optimism and former Executive Secretary for the UN Convention on Climate Change gave guidance on how to keep focused and action-oriented while staying optimistic as we face the opportunities and challenges still ahead. She said, “This transformation is now possible for the entirety of the global economy thanks to all of your defiant optimism.” And, amongst many other wise words, Dr. Jane Goodall—founder of The Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace—reminded us about “the importance of having hope. Without hope we are doomed. Hope gives you energy to fight. Together we can, together we will, together we must change the world.”

That's a wrap on The Climate Pledge Hub at #ClimateWeekNYC! We kicked off the day energized by last night's announcement: Amazon, through its leadership in the LEAF Coalition, signed an agreement with the Brazilian State of Pará to commercialize 12 million tons of carbon credits by 2026. This is the first LEAF agreement with a Brazilian state and a key milestone for global climate progress. To start the final day, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Sally Fouts (Zwartjes) shared insights on The Climate Pledge’s future, emphasizing more global, in-person collaboration. Tom closed by saying, “The future of addressing climate issues lies firmly with private sector collaboration and innovation.” Next, John Powers from Schneider Electric led a discussion on supply chain decarbonization. The takeaway? There’s no one-size-fits-all approach—we need tailored solutions for businesses of all sizes. AI also took the spotlight as leaders from Amazon Web Services (AWS) and McKinsey & Company discussed how AI can drive cost-effective corporate decarbonization strategies. The day closed with a panel featuring McKinsey, Formula E, Nike, Lyten, and Chrysalix Venture Capital on scaling climate tech. McKinsey's Mark Patel highlighted the urgency, noting, “Time is the one variable we can’t control, so we must focus on what we can: cost, scale, and speed.”

BIG news today from The Climate Pledge Hub at #ClimateWeekNYC! The agreement has been signed and now it’s official, C40 Cities is collaborating with multilateral development banks to make it easier to fund electric delivery trucks in Latin America. This is part of a project called Laneshift, backed by $10 million from #theclimatepledge to cut truck pollution in India and Latin America by transitioning to electric trucks and using smarter routes. Lusanda Madikizela, Head of Zero-Emission Freight at C40 Cities says, “The collaboration with key financiers is an important step in overcoming the financial and technical barriers to large-scale adoption of electric freight solutions.” Speaking of financing…☝️ We hosted a workshop, “Insights from Amazon’s $2 Billion Venture Fund” led by folks at CNote, Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), Climate Pledge Fund (CPF), Glacier, and Wollemi Capital. Nick Ellis, Principal at CPF, kicked off a lively discussion around unlocking financial barriers to climate innovation, with business leaders deep diving into the financing strategies and best practices implemented at their respective organizations. Nick emphasized the immense value of global relationships, investments, and expertise when it comes to innovating and delivering on climate solutions. And in the data center world, speakers from Johnson Controls, Bloom Energy, Prologis, and C3 AI joined together to discuss the consumption of electricity and more sustainable solutions to meet the demand. Jeff Barber, Vice President of Global Data Centers at Bloom Energy said it best, “Power is THE issue and sustainability is a close second. Why? We’re massive consumers of electricity. The answer is on-site renewable generation.” Tune in tomorrow for highlights from our final—already?!—day of Hub programming!

Reporting to you LIVE from #ClimateWeekNYC! The Climate Pledge Hub Day 1 is complete. Today we heard some of the brightest minds in the business share the ways in which we are winning, learning, and uncovering opportunities when it comes to climate change. Shoutout to all of the incredible speakers and panelists who delivered as much energy and optimism as they did critical insights into complex topics and of course, a big thank you to @McKinsey for sponsoring this incredible event. Here’s the tldr; on today’s sessions: 💲 Maya Penn, Naadiya Moosajee, Sana Kapadia, and Marta Sjögre joined forces for “Closing the Gap in Gender Finance” where they discussed the ways in which gender and climate change overlap. In 2023, only 7% of climate venture female founders received funding (despite generating 35% higher ROI) in what Marta calls “the single greatest economic opportunity of our time.” 🧲 John Marshall presented a session on how to “Prioritize Climate Communications in a Polarized World” highlighting the ways in which everyday people understand climate change. More than 50% of people do not know what The Paris Agreement is and “ESG” means nothing to most, but on the brightside, 70% of investors agree there is money to be made in the clean energy transition. 🚛 Sarah Dimson-Tararuj, Gabriel Tenenbaum, Aditi Maheshwari, Nicolas Estrada, and Kartikk Gopai brought a Pledge Joint Action project to life with “Laneshift: Pathways to Decarbonizing Freight.” Leaders discussed obstacles to electrification such as charging infrastructure and how to incentivize businesses going forward.

IBM has been driving climate innovation for over 50 years, with a deep commitment to sustainability that goes beyond measuring carbon emissions. For IBM’s Chief Sustainability Officer Christina Shim, it’s not only about climate innovations, but about protecting communities from climate change—including floods, heatwaves, and disrupted livelihoods. After five decades IBM has advanced its climate technology solutions. They’ve collaborated with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration on an open-source, geospatial foundation model that provides data for their customers to evaluate climate risk and support biodiversity conservation. Their IBM Sustainability Accelerator leverages cutting-edge technology to help vulnerable communities around the world tackle climate challenges. Plus, the Accelerator initiatives are all pro bono. In a recent Q&A with The Climate Pledge, Christina discusses the value of collective action, noting how a shared responsibility is key to moving the needle on climate change. "No one company can solve climate change alone," she says. 🔗 Dive into our Q&A with Christina to learn about IBM’s progress toward its climate commitments and how their technology is fueling a new wave of innovation for businesses: https://bit.ly/4eiYbbe

According to Deloitte, Asia accounts for approximately 38 percent of global domestic transport fossil carbon emissions. India specifically faces the dilemma of providing affordable access to mobility while also working toward the lowest possible carbon footprint. Electrification offers both of those benefits while helping the country reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and dependency on oil exports. In order to support the surge of EVs in India, The Climate Pledge is excited to announce the launch of the groundbreaking Joint Operation Unifying Last-Mile Electrification (JOULE) project in Bengaluru aimed at building the first network of shared EV charging stations in the city. Pledge signatories teaming up for the joint action project include Amazon, Deloitte, HCLTech, Greenko Group, Mahindra Logistics and Uber, alongside partner companies like Magenta Mobility and EV solution platform, Kazam. As of today, the first charging station at Doddakallasandra is fully operational with five more to follow by the end of this year. By 2030, this network is expected to support about 5,500 EVs in Bengaluru, saving over 11.2 million liters of fuel and abating an estimated 25,700 tonnes of carbon dioxide. Plus, all the electricity used by the project will be matched by 100% renewable energy. “Establishing a shared network of EV charging stations in Bengaluru is a significant step towards achieving our national goal of increasing electric vehicle adoption, and we fully support this innovative collaboration led by The Climate Pledge," said Ms. Gunjan Krishna, IAS, Industry Commissioner, Government of Karnataka. “This initiative not only enhances the accessibility of EV infrastructure but also demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in driving India's transition to a more sustainable future.” We’re proud to see signatories from various sectors coming together to share resources, and maximize efficiency and utilization to help champion India’s ambitious EV goals. #theclimatepledge #EV #renewableenergy

The countdown to #ClimateWeekNYC is ON! In less than two weeks, The Climate Pledge Hub and Summit events will bring together visionary leaders from diverse industries for four days of collaboration and climate action. Our agenda is packed with must-see sessions. Be inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall of the The Jane Goodall Institute and Ellen MacArthur of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as they challenge us to think bigger about climate solutions. Hear Christiana Figueres present her vision for a net-zero future. And don’t miss a crucial conversation on water equity with Matt Damon and Gary White of Water.org. These four days of climate programming—exclusively available to our signatory community—offer hands-on workshops, visionary panels, and invaluable networking opportunities. Plus, as part of Amazon Priceless Planet partnership, we’re donating 100 trees for every person who registers for The Summit! 🌳 We’re thrilled to bring our signatories together to push the boundaries of what’s possible. See you there!

Nick Ellis—a Principal at the Climate Pledge Fund—is tasked with finding startups with the potential to create breakthrough technologies that will help companies reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. But scaling those startups at the urgent rate our planet needs can be a challenge. The Climate Pledge Fund and The Climate Pledge signatory Siemens were both early investors in the direct air capture startup CarbonCapture Inc. The Climate Pledge Fund—a $2 billion dollar fund—and Siemens were able to help the startup by providing the investment, infrastructure, and technological capabilities it needed to scale. Read on for a Q&A with Nick about how The Climate Pledge is both a demand driver and accelerator for businesses: https://bit.ly/3XB1GnD

YES, CHEF! Climate Pledge signatory, Impossible Foods is opening its first-ever brick-and-mortar location in Chicago. The company isn’t just changing what’s on your plate—it’s changing the conversation around plant-based eating. 🌱 By focusing on flavor, fun, and accessibility, they’re proving that plant-based meat can be sustainable AND just as satisfying as the real thing, no guilt trips or sacrifices required. With bold new flavors in their portfolio, Impossible Foods is bridging the gap between plant-based and traditional meat eaters, inviting everyone to the table. And now, with the launch of their physical location, Impossible Quality Meats, they’re bringing that experience to life. Learn how Impossible Foods is flipping the script on plant-based food: https://bit.ly/3B9sBOs