Google, Walmart, Apple, Microsoft, Coca Cola, and Pepsi are among the thirteen leading American companies that have pledged efforts and resources to bring down their carbon dioxide emissions and fund green projects.

These companies’ pledge comes as part of President Obama’s Monday launch of American Business Act on Climate Pledge. The other companies that signed the pledge are Alcoa, Bank of America, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Cargill, General Motors, Goldman Sachs and UPS.

These 13 companies have combined revenues of $1.3 trillion and market capitalisation of $2.5 trillion, says a communiqué from the White House.

All told, today’s announcements total at least $140 billion in new low-carbon investment and more than 1,600 megawatts of new renewable energy, in addition to ambitious, company-specific goals to cut emissions as much as 50 per cent, reduce water intensity as much as 15 per cent, purchase 100 per cent renewable energy, and pursue zero net deforestation in supply chains.

The background note to the pledge says: “The impacts of climate change are already being felt worldwide. Nineteen of the 20 hottest years on record occurred in the past two decades. Countries and communities around the world are already being affected by deeper, more persistent droughts, pounded by more severe weather, inundated by bigger storm surges, and imperilled by more frequent and dangerous wildfires. Rising temperatures can lead to more smog, longer allergy seasons, and an increased incidence of extreme-weather-related injuries, all of which imperil public health, particularly for vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, the sick, the poor, and some communities of colour. No corner of the planet and no sector of the global economy will remain unaffected by climate change in the years ahead.”

Many of these companies are already actively engaged in climate change mitigation.

Apple today runs all of its US operations using only renewable energy. Last year, it signed up with solar company, First Solar, to buy solar energy worth $ 800 million for 25 years. Since 2011, the company has reduced carbon emissions from its global corporate facilities, data centres and retail stores by 48 per cent.

Google has committed to powering its operations with 100 per cent renewable energy. “We have purchased 1.1 GW of renewable energy to power our data centres, and we commit to tripling our purchases of renewable energy by 2025,” it says. Google will also invest $2 billion in “transformative global clean energy projects.”

Microsoft will purchase 100 per cent renewable energy for the operations of its data centres, offices, labs, and manufacturing facilities and offset 100 per cent of emissions from business air travel through supporting carbon offset projects that also drive social benefits in emerging nations.

Warren Buffet-owned Berkshire Hathaway Energy has pledge to “build on our investment of more than $15 billion in renewable energy generation under construction and in operation through 2014 by investing up to an additional $15 billion. It will also construct an additional 552 MW of wind projects in the US.

Bank of America will increase its ‘current environmental business initiative’ from $50 billion to $125 billion by 2025 through lending, investing, capital raising, advisory services and developing financing solutions for clients around the world.

Retailer Walmart ’s commitments include a resolve to double the number of on-site solar energy projects at its US stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centres by 2020, compared with 2013 baseline.

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