Ikea vows to be net exporter of renewable energy by 2020

Renewable power sources, low-energy products and supply chain emissions cuts help Swedish furniture giant boost sustainability

As December's landmark climate change summit in Paris (COP21) approached, Ikea made a number of major announcements. It pledged to invest a600m (471m) in renewable energy projects - in addition to an earlier a1.5bn (1.2bn) cash injection - and a further a400m (314m) to support communities vulnerable to climate change.

The world's biggest furniture retailer says it's going "all in" to have a net positive impact on the climate through renewable energy investment, energy-efficiency measures, cutting supply chain emissions, and product changes designed to achieve behaviour change. It has already helped its suppliers become 18% more energy efficient over the past four years - through the introduction of a sustainability assessment tool and by bringing suppliers together to share sustainability best practice.