Dive Brief:

• Retailers are among the big businesses that have joined the White House in pledging to take steps to tamp down their greenhouse gas emissions and increase their use of renewable energy sources.

• Retailers and related businesses among the 13 companies that have joined the “American Business Act on Climate Pledge” include Apple, Microsoft, UPS, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and Google.

• The high-profile move is seen as helping solidify the U.S. position on climate change ahead of the United Nation’s climate change conference in Paris in December.

Dive Insight:

For a topic that has suffered all manner of conspiracy theories and some poo-pooing among business interests just a few years ago, climate change has come a long way. The list released Monday by the White House could be longer, but it’s nevertheless an impressive cross-section of interests that are taking a remarkably strong stance.

“At Walmart, we believe climate change is an urgent and pressing challenge,” reads the retailer’s pledge, “and we must all do our part to reduce, avoid and mitigate the impact of rising greenhouse gas (GHG) levels.”

As part of taking the pledge, each company similarly states its stance and details some of the steps it’s taking to combat climate change and fight greenhouse gas emissions. Wal-Mart says it’s working with its suppliers, including agricultural suppliers, to minimize water and energy use, and will continue to reduce its store-based energy use in part by installing solar power. It is also cutting its fuel use, which could have the financial benefit of cutting some of its fuel costs for the retailer. 

UPS says it will minimize miles driven using optimization models, increase its use of renewable energy, including in its fleet, and says it was dedicated to reporting its progress. Google’s commitment is especially detailed and broad, committing to 100% renewal energy use in its operations, and adding water conservation to its pledge, while Apple, in a move that could help it save on energy costs over time, touts its use of 100% renewal energy and its investments in clean power generation.

“We recognize that delaying action on climate change will be costly in economic and human terms, while accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy will produce multiple benefits with regard to sustainable economic growth, public health, resilience to natural disasters, and the health of the global environment,” states the pledge in part.