Ford Motor Company announced today it is taking another major step toward helping stabilize carbon dioxide emissions globally, becoming the first automaker to join a voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting program recently established in India. The company already participates in similar programs in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.
Voluntary reporting provides overall transparency regarding the company’s CO2 emissions and underscores the importance of the issue to Ford, which has a goal of reducing CO2 emissions at its global facilities, including two in Chennai, India, by 30 percent per vehicle by 2025.
“Ford is pleased to be the first automaker to participate in the voluntary India greenhouse gas reporting program,” said Andy Hobbs, director of the company’s environmental quality office. “We look forward to sharing our knowledge and helping to establish greenhouse gas reporting in India.”
India’s program is a joint effort between the World Resources Institute, The Energy and Resources Institute and the Confederation of Indian Industry. As the first automaker to participate in the program, Ford’s role will be to assist in the establishment of credible and verifiable GHG inventories.
“Ford India is committed to bringing fuel-efficient and safe vehicles to India that our customers want and value. And we are growing our manufacturing capabilities in India in an environmentally responsible way as part of our One Ford plan,” said Joginder Singh, president and managing director of Ford India.
In India, Ford operates a manufacturing plant that produces the Ford Figo, Ford Fiesta, Ford Classic, Ford Endeavour and Ford EcoSport, and an engine plant that produces 17 variants of gasoline and diesel engines. A vehicle assembly and engine plant complex are under construction in Sanand, Gujarat.
The Chennai facilities are equipped to reuse 100 percent of wastewater generated. The assembly plant has reduced water use 30 percent per vehicle produced in the last three years and reduced energy consumption 10 percent per vehicle produced.
“Indian Industry has set a powerful precedent in the region, by collaboratively engaging on a multi-stakeholder platform to take the next leap on GHG measurement and management. The program would strive to promote climate stewardship and innovation that would merge core business benefits along with environmental and social agendas,” says Vivek P. Adhia, Senior Associate — Climate & Energy, WRI India.
Taking CO2 reductions further
Ford has developed products, technologies and processes at its facilities that are designed to reduce emissions and help the company meet its own targets, while also doing its part to help keep CO2 levels in the atmosphere at or below 450 parts per million. Leading scientists, businesses and governmental agencies say this is a goal that must be met to avoid the most serious effects on climate change.
Already, total CO2 emissions at Ford’s global facilities have dropped 47 percent, or by 4.65 million metric tons, since 2000. The company continues investing in processes and equipment aimed at further reductions.
For example, using its environmentally friendly 3-Wet paint process, which streamlines the painting process, is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25 percent. Ford India’s Chennai manufacturing plant was the company’s first to use the advanced process, and enough energy has been saved to power nearly 12,000 households in Chennai for a year, or light up all street lights in the city for about four months. Ford is expanding the process capacity by 50 percent this year — adding it to four more plants on three continents.
Joining the reporting program is the latest instance of Ford using its influence to improve conditions in India; earlier this year, the company expanded its worldwide Driving Skills for Life program — which teaches newly licensed teenagers necessary driving skills beyond the offerings of most drivers' education courses — to India, which has the highest amount of automobile fatalities in the world.
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Published Jul 22, 2013 9pm EDT / 6pm PDT / 2am BST / 3am CEST