UK retailer The Co-operative is accelerating steps to curb its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and is backing global goals to limit warming, it said in a statement.
The retailer halved its GHG emissions in the the decade from 2006 to 2016, and has committed to further reductions of 50% by 2025.
Limit Global Warming
In the past year, the Co-op has reduced GHG emissions by 20%, amidst calls for targets to limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees, with the risk of extreme weather, sea level rise and habitat loss.
The move was backed by Co-op members at the group's AGM in May, who voted in favour of accelerating actions to tackle environmental issues.
Climate Crisis
“How we do business really matters. The world is experiencing a climate crisis and we need to work together to avoid it. Accelerating action is the only way to mitigate and reduce impacts on our natural world, and to ensure stable food supply chains in the future," said Michael Fletcher, retail chief commercial officer, Co-op.
"A rolling set of publicly available and reviewed stretching, short term targets, are imperative if we are to hold ourselves to account to achieve our collective longer-term ambitions," he added. "Making sure that we have a natural environment we are proud to pass on to future generations needs action to be taken now."
All Co-op stores, offices and funeral homes already use 100% renewable electricity, the retailer added.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Helen Galgey. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
