Retail giant Amazon’s carbon emissions rose 19% during pandemic

Amazon’s overall carbon emissions increased in 2020, but the firm’s ‘carbon intensity’ decreased, the company said Wednesday in a 138-page report.

Amazon.com Inc. said its carbon emissions rose in 2020 due to pandemic-fueled business growth, highlighting the challenge of balancing a fast-growing business with pledges to minimize environmental harm. Amazon’s carbon emissions increased 19%, the company said Wednesday in a 138-page report. While overall emissions increased, the company said its “carbon intensity,” a measure of emissions per dollar of sales, decreased by 16% in 2020, in line with its goals. The e-commerce giant reported a similar shift in 2019. “This year-over-year carbon intensity comparison reflects our early progress to decarbonize our operations as we also continue to grow as a company,” Amazon said in the report. “Nearly half of our carbon intensity improvement is a result of our investments in renewable energy and operational efficiency enhancements.”