GHG Emissions | Page 355

The Home Depot has declared new emissions targets, along with commitments to wind and solar projects in 2019. The announcement came as CDP, an environmental impact non-profit, named the company to its Climate Change “A” list for its actions to cut carbon emissions and mitigate climate risks.

The electricity sector continued to improve its carbon intensity in 2018 due to increased renewable energy and natural gas power generation and investments in energy efficiency, even as a stronger economy and volatile weather boosted energy demand and contributed to a rise in economy-wide carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

One of the world’s top chocolate companies shared new plans for reducing its impact on the planet – including committing to set Science-Based Targets. As this column from EDF Climate Corps notes, what sets Hershey apart from its peers is not this commitment. It’s the journey behind how it got here.

Construction has been completed at Rhode Island College (RIC) of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the rooftops of the Donovan Dining Center and the Student Union. The $300,000 project is expected to save the college more than $231,000 in energy costs over the next 15 years.

EV100, part of The Climate Group, is targeting the electrification of more than two million vehicles by 2030, according to the first EV100 Progress and Insights Annual Report

AvalonBay Communities, Inc. announced its commitment to setting science-based emissions reduction targets to be approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). AvalonBay joins the growing group of leading companies that are setting emissions reduction targets in line with what climate science says is necessary.

Ten years of the world’s biggest purchasers – including Bank of America, Dell, Kellogg Company, Unilever and Walmart – requesting transparency from their suppliers has triggered a step-change in environmental action, leading to 633 million metric tonnes of CO2 emissions reductions and collective cost savings of  $19.3 billion reported by over 5,500 suppliers in 2018.

Illinois achieved the lead position on the U.S. Green Building Council’s 2018 list of Top 10 States for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The ranking of states based on the number of LEED-certified square feet per person placed Massachusetts in second place

Penn State announced the development of 70 megawatts of large-scale offsite solar to support the University's Strategic Plan, which cites stewardship of the planet's resources as a key priority. The project to install large-scale solar arrays will provide 25% of Penn State's state-wide electricity requirements over a 25-year term.

DHL is preparing to roll out a new fleet of 63 electric delivery vans to serve U.S. markets as part of its mission to reduce emissions. The company has set a target of operating 70% of first- and last-mile delivery services with clean transport modes by 2025 as part of its longer-term corporate commitment to reduce its logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050.