How Amazon tracks carbon intensity across its global operations
The e-commerce giant's methodology for measuring progress toward its 2040 net-zero pledge
1The Complexity of Carbon Measurement
Amazon employs evolving methodologies to track its carbon footprint toward its 2040 net-zero goal. By monitoring emissions per unit of activity (carbon intensity), it optimizes processes from logistics to energy use. These metrics are annually disclosed in its Sustainability Report.
2Emissions Per Shipment Metric
Amazon's retail operations use 'carbon emissions per unit shipped' as a key metric. Achieving 39% reduction since 2019 through solutions like electric vehicles, smart routing, and lightweight packaging. Each innovation contributes to lowering the carbon cost of every delivery.
3Cross-Industry Decarbonization
Beyond logistics, Amazon's diverse portfolio spanning cloud services to retail necessitates emission reductions across all supply chain segments. Their solutions hold potential to transform not just their operations but entire industries through scalable innovations.
4Economic Intensity Metric Update
In 2025 reporting, Amazon shifted from gross merchandise sales to revenue-based carbon intensity (gCO2e/$Revenue). This industry-aligned change enhances comparability while maintaining consistent year-over-year progress tracking.
5Regional Emission Analytics
The company tracks carbon intensity at country/regional levels to identify geographical variations. This analysis pinpoints where emission reduction strategies prove most effective, clearly demonstrating the decoupling of delivery growth from emissions.
6Dynamic Climate Accountability
Amazon continuously refines measurement methodologies alongside climate science advancements. Prioritizing stakeholder transparency, this industry-leading approach sets benchmarks for corporate climate action while driving measurable decarbonization progress.
Original article: Amazon Science — Amazon operasyonlarında karbon yoğunluğunu nasıl takip ediyor?