Walmart Inc., the world's largest retailer, has announced that it is likely to miss its ambitious climate change targets set for 2025 and 2030. The company had pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2025 and 65% by 2030, compared to 2015 levels. However, Walmart now cites challenges related to energy policy, infrastructure, and the availability of cost-effective low-carbon technologies as significant hurdles in achieving these goals.

Despite having a smaller carbon footprint per unit of sales compared to more polluting manufacturers and food processors, Walmart is struggling to reduce emissions due to the expansion of its store network and the shipment of goods. The company has identified three primary drivers of increased emissions in 2023: pollution from aging refrigeration equipment, fuel emissions from transportation, and a slower expansion of renewable energy relative to its business growth.

In a recent update, Walmart acknowledged that neither the 2025 nor the 2030 targets appear to be within reach, with progress being delayed. This announcement comes after Walmart had already indicated last year that it would not meet its 2025 emissions goal, although it had maintained its commitment to the 2030 target at that time.

Walmart's senior vice president for energy transformation, Vishal Kapadia, has emphasized the company's ongoing commitment to becoming a net-zero organization by 2040. Walmart aims to achieve zero emissions across its global operations and has committed to protecting, managing, or restoring 50 million acres of land and 1 million square miles of ocean by 2030. The company is also working on deploying a fast-charging network for electric vehicles across its stores and Sam’s Clubs to encourage more customers to purchase EVs.

Walmart's Project Gigaton, which aims to eliminate a billion metric tons of carbon emissions through its supply chain by 2030, is nearly 75% complete. The initiative involves educating suppliers about the impacts of emissions and demonstrating a clear value proposition for reducing their carbon footprint.

While Walmart faces significant challenges in meeting its climate goals, the company continues to push forward with initiatives that not only aim to reduce emissions but also create new revenue streams and enhance supply chain stability.