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FORD SETS CO2 REDUCTIONS
Company announces its greenhouse gas emissions, outlines plan to cut them
BETTE HILEMAN
On May 3, Ford Motor Co. became the first large automaker to report how much CO2 its vehicles and manufacturing facilities contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions. Each year, Ford says, it releases 400 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent to the atmosphere. Its plants emit only 12 million metric tons, and its vehicles emit 388 million metric tons. Global emissions from all sources total 22,561 million metric tons.
Ford has been criticized by environmental groups for continuing to promote gas-guzzling sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), while at the same time professing concern about global climate change.
But over the past year, Ford has taken steps to reduce CO2 emissions, the report points out. It plans to have a hybrid-electric SUV for sale in 2003 and to improve the fuel economy of its SUV fleet 25% by 2005. In Europe, it has voluntarily agreed to reduce CO2 emissions from its new vehicle fleet 25% from 1995 levels by 2008. Ford also plans to have a test fleet of fuel-cell vehicles on the road by the end of next year. "Fuel cells could be the predominant power source in 25 years," replacing the internal combustion engine, said company Chairman Bill Ford at a conference run by Greenpeace in early May.
"There is now more than enough evidence to warrant an immediate and considered response" to concerns about climate change, Ford said. But he stressed that, in contrast to government action, "market- and competition-driven change is the best hope for moving quickly and effectively to address the issue."
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