Target Announces 100% Renewable Energy Target Amidst New Climate Policy

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Target, one of America’s leading discount store retailers, has this week announced a new climate policy and goals based on the Science-Based Targets initiative, including a commitment to source 100% renewable energy in its domestic operations.

Target published its new climate policy and goals on Tuesday, created with the Science-Based Target initiative “in mind” in an effort to “keep making progress” on its existing global and local environmental efforts. As Target highlight in their announcement, the company is a two-time ENERGY STAR partner of the year, and the Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) 2016 top corporate solar installer in the US.

Target’s new climate policy opens by simply stating that “Target acknowledges the scientific consensus that the climate is changing, that our business is contributing to that change, and that our supply chain, operations, and customers will continue to be impacted by the effects of climate change.” As a result, Target is “committed to reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint, and to engaging constructively with industry peers, value chain partners, external stakeholders, and policymakers to help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

“Target has long been committed to making our business more sustainable, which leads to a stronger, cleaner supply chain and operations, and a healthier environment for our team members and guests,” explained Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO, Target. “That’s why we’re setting goals to reduce our greenhouse gas footprint, and working with our industry partners, policymakers and other stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

The hallmark of Target’s new climate policy and goals is a commitment to source 100% renewable energy for all their domestic operations. Target is set to focus their efforts to meet their new policy and goals in five specific areas:

• Increasing adoption of renewable energy in our own operations, our supply chain, and on the electricity grid;
• Driving energy and water efficiency in our own operations and in our supply chain;
• Investing in innovations supporting the transition to a lower-carbon transportation system, including vehicle electrification;
• Considering climate impacts in raw materials sourcing, particularly the impacts of land use change, and designing plans to mitigate those impacts; and
• Supporting communities most heavily impacted by climate change and building their resilience to climate change impacts like extreme weather events

Target will continue their partnership with the WWF and their promotion of water conservation — which, according to Target, has already saved over 22 million gallons of water through the optimisation of outdoor irrigation systems at 176 of their stores.