--- title: Amazon's Carbon Emissions Grew 18% in 2021 description: The company’s rapid growth during the pandemic overwhelmed efforts to cut its contribution to the emissions warming the planet. canonical: https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2022-08-01T17:32:23.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-24T14:34:13.249Z article:section: Climate og:title: Amazon Got a Big Boost During the Pandemic—And So Did Its Carbon Emissions og:description: The carbon footprint of the world's largest online retailer grew 18% in 2021 og:url: https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc8816cadfa0afba2/698a343edb2987ac2e2680e9/amazon-planet-warming-carbon-emissions-grew.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Amazon Says Its Planet-Warming Carbon Emissions Grew 18% in 2021 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Amazon Got a Big Boost During the Pandemic—And So Did Its Carbon Emissions twitter:description: The carbon footprint of the world's largest online retailer grew 18% in 2021 twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc8816cadfa0afba2/698a343edb2987ac2e2680e9/amazon-planet-warming-carbon-emissions-grew.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Amazon Got a Big Boost During the Pandemic—And So Did Its Carbon Emissions > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4883c5f8-3dbc-40ba-9b9d-1ff2fdc9c3fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4883c5f8-3dbc-40ba-9b9d-1ff2fdc9c3fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=4883c5f8-3dbc-40ba-9b9d-1ff2fdc9c3fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=4883c5f8-3dbc-40ba-9b9d-1ff2fdc9c3fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: The U.K.'s Hottest Day Ever Sparks a Climate Culture War [Watch (HLS stream): The U.K.'s Hottest Day Ever Sparks a Climate Culture War](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/A67NCzJJ.m3u8) (1:52)  _Published 2022-07-20. The U.K.'s Hottest Day Ever Sparks a Climate Culture War_ by [Matt Day/Bloomberg](https://time.com/author/bloomberg/) ## Matt Day/Bloomberg Contributor Aug 1, 2022 5:32 PM UTC  A Prime Air cargo plane, operated by Amazon.com Inc., sits on on display ahead of the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget in Paris, France, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. A Prime Air cargo plane, operated by Amazon.com Inc., sits on on display ahead of the 53rd International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget in Paris, France, on Sunday, June 16, 2019. Jason Alden—Bloomberg via Getty Images by [Matt Day/Bloomberg](https://time.com/author/bloomberg/) ## Matt Day/Bloomberg Contributor Aug 1, 2022 5:32 PM UTC Amazon.com Inc. said its carbon footprint grew 18% in 2021, as the company’s rapid growth during the [pandemic](https://time.com/6201575/amazons-dangerous-ambition-to-dominate-healthcare/) overwhelmed nascent efforts to cut its contribution to the emissions [warming](https://time.com/6198630/extreme-heat-local-solutions/) the planet. The world’s largest online retailer emitted 71.54 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent last year, Amazon disclosed on Monday in an updated edition of its [sustainability report](https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/2021-sustainability-report.pdf). That’s up about 40% since the company [first disclosed](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-23/amazon-s-carbon-emissions-increased-15-amid-rapid-sales-growth) the figure, with data from 2019. Amazon’s carbon intensity –- a measure that divides its emissions by gross merchandise sales –- fell 1.9%, an indication of the company’s success in delivering products and running its warehouses, data centers and offices more efficiently. **Read More:** [_Why Extreme Heat Plus Pollution Is a Deadly Combination_](https://time.com/6201615/heat-pollution-health-risk/) Amazon aims to become a “[net zero](https://time.com/6113845/net-zero-climate-pledge-impact/)” emitter of greenhouse gases by 2040\. Besides cutting emissions with electric vehicles and other operational initiatives, Amazon plans to buy credits linked to projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The net-zero pledge presents a huge challenge for a company that seeks to grow like a startup and operates a cargo airline, a sprawling retail and logistics business, grocery stores and data centers. --- ### More from TIME --- Amazon’s accounting of its carbon footprint includes emissions generated by its own offices and data centers, purchased electricity, tailpipe emissions from delivery partners and the manufacturing of Amazon-branded products, among other things. In contrast to some retailers, the Seattle company doesn’t attempt to account for the emissions that go into the manufacture of products it sells, with the exception of private-label merchandise. “The challenges we collectively face on the [path to net-zero carbon](https://time.com/6166169/corporate-net-zero-emissions-problem/) are considerable,” Amazon said in its report. “Many new technologies are showing promise in their ability to reduce carbon emissions, but may still require significant development.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/"},"headline":"Amazon Got a Big Boost During the Pandemic—And So Did Its Carbon Emissions","datePublished":"2022-08-01T17:32:23.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T14:34:13.249Z","description":"The carbon footprint of the world's largest online retailer grew 18% in 2021","url":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/","keywords":["energy","climate change","wire","healthscienceclimate","bloomberg wire"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc8816cadfa0afba2/698a343edb2987ac2e2680e9/amazon-planet-warming-carbon-emissions-grew.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Day/Bloomberg"}],"articleSection":"Climate","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc8816cadfa0afba2/698a343edb2987ac2e2680e9/amazon-planet-warming-carbon-emissions-grew.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Amazon Says Its Planet-Warming Carbon Emissions Grew 18% in 2021","caption":"amazon-planet-warming-carbon-emissions-grew","creditText":"Jason Alden—Bloomberg via Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/climate/","name":"Climate"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/energy/","name":"energy"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/","name":"Amazon Got a Big Boost During the Pandemic—And So Did Its Carbon Emissions"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"The U.K.'s Hottest Day Ever Sparks a Climate Culture War","description":"The U.K.'s Hottest Day Ever Sparks a Climate Culture War","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/A67NCzJJ/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2022-07-20T18:56:02.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/A67NCzJJ.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/","duration":"PT1M52S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6202582/amazon-carbon-footprint-2021/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```