WASHINGTON -- White House officials on Monday touted the inclusion of major private companies in President Barack Obama's push for an international climate agreement this year.
Companies including Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Google, UPS, Walmart and Coca-Cola announced new pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to support the White House in securing a deal during climate negotiations in Paris in December.
The announcement comes as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to roll out a major regulation requiring utilities to cut carbon dioxide emissions, and Obama plans to go to Alaska next month to highlight early impacts of climate change on the state.
The companies joining in Monday's climate pledge together represented $1.3 billion in revenue in 2014, said Brian Deese, senior adviser to the president, in a call with reporters Monday. Together they've agreed to $140 billion in new "low-carbon investments," Deese said. The White House plans to announce a second round of agreements this fall.
Thirteen companies signed a climate pledge in support of international climate negotiations and "a low-carbon economy."
"We think Paris is a big deal. We think it's critical that the business community get behind" the White House in an effort to "move the world in a different direction," said Kevin McKnight, the chief sustainability officer at Alcoa.
Alcoa, an energy-intensive company that produces aluminum, has agreed to cut its absolute greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2025. Alcoa is also one to benefit from low carbon regulations: Its aluminum shaves 400 pounds off the weight of a Ford F-150 truck, McKnight said. That goes a long way to increasing the truck's fuel efficiency and consequently cutting its greenhouse gas emissions. The F-series truck has been the nation's top-selling vehicle for more than 30 years.
Alcoa also wants to make sure other countries have requirements similar to those of the U.S., McKnight said.
"It is critical that we have a climate agreement globally that creates a level playing field for all countries," he said.
Berkshire Hathaway Energy announced plans to double its previous $15 billion investment in renewable energy generation. Coca-Cola says it will cut its carbon footprint per drink by 25 percent by 2020. And General Motors pledged to cut energy intensity and boost renewable energy at its facilities. Walmart plans to double on-site solar energy projects at its U.S. stores and is working with its food chain suppliers "to report their yield, water and GHG footprints all the way back to the farm," the company said.
Other companies making pledges included Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and Pepsico.