IKEA is pledging that it will use only renewable and recycled materials in its products by 2030, and that it will also take a range of additional steps to further reduce its impact on the environment.
The Scandinavia-based furniture chain said in a prepared statement that it will reduce more greenhouse gases than it produces by, among other things, capturing and storing carbon and working with its suppliers to reduce emissions, according to Bloomberg.
Electric cars welcome
"Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a visible reality," the company said, describing it as "one of the biggest challenges that humanity faces."
IKEA says it will also eliminate single-use plastic products from its stores by 2020 and sell more plant-based foods. Its largest franchisee, which operates 363 stores across 29 markets, says it will boost its range of solar-power home products and accomplish zero emissions on home deliveries, Bloomberg reports.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat, but a visible reality — one of the biggest challenges that humanity faces”
IKEA will also endeavor to extend the longevity of its products, according to Lena Pripp-Kovac, the company's sustainability manager.
"Becoming truly circular means meeting people’s changing lifestyles, prolonging the life of products and materials, and using resources in a smarter way," Pripp-Kovac said in the published statement. "To make this a reality, we will design all products from the very beginning to be repurposed, repaired, reused, resold and recycled."
All this, the company says, will help reduce its climate footprint from 2016 levels by an average of 70 percent per product by 2030.
By Edmund Mander
Director, Editor-In-Chief/SCT
