Best Buy : Reflections from U.N. Climate Negotiations

Alexis Ludwig-VogenStaff Writer

As we start a new year, I'm reflecting on my experience at the COP24 Climate Negotiations and what it means for Best Buy.

I'm thrilled that the countries involved agreed on a 'rulebook' for the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Governments now have clear direction how to systematically measure, report and verify their carbon emission reductions.

As a large business, our work to reduce carbon emissions in our operations and for our customers can make a big difference, which is why we are committed to doing our part.

There are three takeaways from my time in Katowice that are shaping my view going into 2019:

1. A greater sense of urgency. 2030 is not so far away. That is the date put forth in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report as the maximum time to stay within 1.5 degrees Celsius, years earlier than originally forecasted. Our employees and our customers have already experienced consequences of the changing climate this year from Hurricane Michael to the California fires. We now know that focusing on the environment is really about people, which is why we have the ambition to do more.
2. Solutions are out there. While in Katowice, I was so proud to hear that my hometown utility Xcel Energy pledged to go carbon-free by 2050, the first major U.S. utility to make such a commitment. The company provides power to our corporate campus, our data center, a distribution center and more than 25 stores. This bold commitment means that the electricity from Xcel - used in our operations and for the products our customers purchase from us - will eventually be carbon-free. We hope more utilities make similar commitments.
3. Imagine what's possible. While in Katowice, a coal production city, the poor air quality was a constant reminder of the benefits we will experience by moving toward a clean energy economy. It's exciting to think about the future of energy and transportation - the rise of electric vehicles and the innovations coming from renewable technology.

2019 is going to be a crucial year for our environmental work. We are working to shift our energy use toward renewables. We are preparing to announce a new goal to help our customers reduce their carbon emissions. And we will be sharing more stories about how climate change is impacting our employees, our customers and the communities we serve.

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