Amazon's 2024 Sustainability Report details reductions in carbon intensity and expansions in renewable energy and electric vehicles, while critics highlight rising absolute emissions and packaging waste. Studies show online shopping can be more efficient than in-store purchases under certain conditions, but fast shipping and high return rates undermine these benefits. Shoppers are encouraged to adopt deliberate habits to minimize environmental impact.
Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, reported total carbon emissions of 68.25 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent in 2024, a 6% increase from 2023, according to its Sustainability Report. Despite this rise, the company's carbon intensity fell 4% to 72.6 grams of CO₂ equivalent per dollar of gross merchandise sales, attributed to greater use of renewable energy. Amazon matched 100% of its global electricity consumption with renewables for the second year, operating 621 projects that generate 34 gigawatts of carbon-free energy, sufficient to power 27 to 34 million homes annually.
The company expanded its electric delivery fleet to 31,400 vans in 2024, which delivered about 1.5 billion packages worldwide. Amazon aims to deploy 100,000 electric vans by 2030 and install 23,000 EV chargers at 50 delivery stations. Packaging improvements included eliminating plastic air pillows from most boxes, leading to a 16.4% global reduction in single-use plastic delivery packaging. In North America, 56% of fulfillment centers shipped without plastic packaging, down from 65% to 37% for shipments containing such materials. Since 2015, Amazon has avoided 4.2 million metric tons of packaging material and diverts 85% of business waste from landfills.
Critics, including Stand.earth, point out that direct Scope 1 emissions have increased 162% since 2019, the year Amazon launched its Climate Pledge for net-zero by 2040. Total Scope 3 emissions rose 7% in 2024, with overall emissions up nearly 40% since the pledge. The company quietly dropped its Shipment Zero goal for 50% carbon-neutral shipments by 2030. Oceana estimated Amazon generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste globally in 2021, up 18% from the prior year, with U.S. use rising 9.6% in 2022. At least 41% of promoted drop-off locations do not accept Amazon's plastic packaging.
Amazon's carbon accounting covers only Amazon-branded products, about 1% of sales, excluding emissions from third-party items that make up 60% of e-commerce. The Climate Pledge Friendly badge features 55 certifications of varying rigor, leading to confusion; a 2025 lawsuit claims misleading logos on Amazon Basics paper products sourced from old-growth forests.
Beyond emissions, a December 2024 U.S. Senate investigation found Amazon warehouse injury rates nearly twice those of comparable facilities, linked to speed emphasis, with 41% of workers reporting injuries. The FTC and 18 state attorneys general allege anticompetitive practices in a lawsuit set for trial in October 2026.
Research underscores behavioral factors: a 2021 MIT study found online shopping emits 36% less carbon than in-store in over 75% of scenarios, but a 2022 study showed advantages vanish with fast shipping and 30% returns, common on Amazon where rates reach 36-53%. A University of Michigan analysis indicated micro-fulfillment centers cut grocery emissions by 16-54%, while Deloitte suggested mall shopping can be 60% more friendly due to fewer returns.
To shop sustainably, Amazon recommends slower shipping options like Amazon Day, which saved 490 million boxes and 450 million delivery trips in the U.S. in 2024. Surveys show 75% of Prime members would accept slower delivery for lower emissions, and 80% prefer standard over expedited. Tips include buying less, minimizing returns, scrutinizing badges, opting for secondhand items, and using pickup lockers.
