China, retailer vow to cut pollution

Chinese President Xi Jinping has vowed to slash pollution and prioritize living standards over unbridled growth. On the other side of the globe in Bentonville, the world’s largest retailer is signing on.

On Thursday, Walmart committed to cutting 50 million metric tons of carbon emissions from its Chinese operations. China is now the only nation where the retailer has made a specific emission plan public. Walmart says the planned reductions are equivalent to emissions from the annual electricity consumption of 40 million Chinese households.

In recent years, more foreign companies have launched environmentally friendly products in China and or extended benefits for workers to stay in Beijing’s good graces.

China’s leaders have had to introduce more environmentally friendly policies to address cities that are often shrouded in smog, as well as rising incidence of diseases like lung cancer. Xi has appeared to take a bigger international role on the environment even as President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Paris climate agreement. Winning in China is increasingly important to Walmart as it slashes prices in its U.S. stores to ward off competition from Amazon.com Inc.

The retailer believes its goals are in line with Beijing’s priorities. “There’s definitely a positive attitude from the Chinese government about the goals we are putting in place,” said Laura Phillips, the company’s senior vice president of sustainability, said over the phone.

The 50 million metric ton goal is to be reached by 2030, and is only about 5 percent of an overall pledge Walmart has made to cut a billion tons of emissions worldwide by 2030. In China, Walmart’s plan involves retrofitting factories with energy-efficient facilities and lighting, and working with suppliers to switch to renewable energy.