World News
Environmental Group Takes Aim at Walmart Over Maritime Emissions
Environmental group Ship It Zero is taking aim at US retail firm Walmart Corporation over its maritime emissions strategy.
The organisation criticised Walmart's not joining either the Green Shipping Challenge or the First Movers Coalition as part of COP27 events in Egypt this month in a statement on its website on Tuesday.
Walmart is one of the world's larger users of shipping. Others including Amazon and Ikea have joined the Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels group, committing only to use ships running on zero-emission fuels from 2040.
"Walmart was spoon-fed opportunities to move its products off of fossil-fuelled ships here at COP, and once again, they're failing to show up on one of the defining ocean-climate action issues of our time," Madeline Rose, climate campaign director for environmental group Pacific Environment, said in the statement.
"Walmart understands the market power they have to catalyse new clean energy markets.
"We urge them to take initial steps to end their ocean shipping pollution, or at least be transparent with us and the public and say bluntly what's holding them back."