Business technology major IBM achieved two CO2 emissions related commitments four years ahead of schedule as part of its support for climate change.
IBM’s goal one was to reduce CO2 emissions associated with IBM’s energy consumption 35 percent by year-end 2020 against base year 2005. IBM achieved 38.1 percent at year-end 2016.
By 2005 IBM had already reduced CO2 emissions to 40 percent of the company’s 1990 emissions.
IBM’s second goal was to procure electricity from renewable sources for 20 percent of IBM’s annual electricity consumption by 2020. IBM achieved 21.5 percent at year-end 2016, which is enough to power about 60,000 homes for 1 year.
If we count renewable electricity within the grid mix IBM receives, then 40.1 percent of IBM’s electricity supply across its managed spaces came from renewable sources.
IBM set these goals in February 2015 and subsequently assigned them to the American Business Act on Climate Pledge. By the end of 2016, IBM had exceeded both of those commitments four years ahead of schedule.
Between 1990 and 2016, IBM had conserved 7.2 million MWh of electricity, avoiding 4.4 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and saving over $600 million.
“IBM has been one of industry’s earliest and unambiguous leaders regarding climate change, having publicly launched our first specific CO2 emissions reduction goal in 2000 and having published a formal position in 2007,” said Wayne Balta, IBM Vice President of Corporate Environmental Affairs and Product Safety.
