FedEx to offset carbon emissions with BP

11 Apr 2012

FedEx Boeing 777 freighter. Image by FedEx

FedEx claims it has become the first global express transportation company to offer carbon-neutral envelope shipping, as it has struck a deal with BP in a new carbon offsetting initiative to invest in global projects that displace or sequester greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere.

FedEx Express, an operating company of FedEx Corp, is preparing to launch the carbon-neutral shipping programme for its packaging solution for document shipping. It will be aligning with BP’s not-for-profit Target Neutral scheme for the carbon offsetting initiative.

FedEx Express said it would add up on an annual basis the tonnes of CO2 released through the shipment of all global FedEx envelopes. It said it would then purchase the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide offsets from the not-for-profit BP Target Neutral.

Following that, BP Target Neutral will set about neutralising the equivalent amount of CO2 emissions by investing in low-carbon development or conservation projects.

Such projects will include a biogas farm facility in the Netherlands, a reforestation project in the Tanzanian Southern Highlands that is converting degraded grassland to commercial forest, and a landfill gas collection system at Thailand’s first sanitary landfill.

“FedEx has invested in technologies to directly reduce greenhouse gases from our greatest sources – planes, trucks and facilities – and, as a result, we are well on our way to meeting ambitious emission-reduction goals,” said Mitch Jackson, staff vice-president, environmental affairs and sustainability at FedEx Corp. 

He said the new carbon-neutral programme would allow the company to further contribute to minimising the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by providing more sustainable options for customers.

Oil giant BP has been running its offset programme since 2006.

For the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London this summer, of which it is an official carbon offset partner, BP Target Neutral is aiming to set a new record for the most individual carbon offsets to a single event.

BP said it would offset the carbon footprint from people’s travel to the Olympic Games if they register their journeys with the company.

Carmel Doyle was a long-time reporter with Silicon Republic

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