Ford Sustainability Report Details Major CO2 Cuts

Successful efforts to reduce CO2 emissions are a notable highlight of Ford’s 14th annual sustainability report, which looks at Blue Oval “initiatives to address social, economic and environmental issues” across the globe. For example:

• In the United States, in line with a program from the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Ford facilities have reduced their CO2 emissions by 10 percent per vehicle in the period from 2002 to 2012.
• Globally, Ford facilities have achieved a 37 percent per-vehicle decrease in CO2 emissions between 2000 and 2012.
• Since 2000, Ford operations around the world have cut CO2 emissions by 47 percent—equivalent to 4.65 million metric tons
• More than 20 billion grams of CO2 have been kept out of the atmosphere since the launch of the Ford C-MAX Hybrid and Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

And at the same time the company was reporting on its current efforts, it also announced some new ones. Looking again at CO2 emissions, Ford will target a further 30 percent reduction for the 15 years from 2010 to 2025, thanks in part to increased use of the innovative “3-Wet” paint system that reduces CO2 emissions by up to 25 percent.

Why the focus on CO2? Per Ford: “Our climate-change strategy is based on doing our share to stabilize carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere at 450 parts per million (ppm), the level that many scientists, businesses and governmental agencies believe may avoid the most serious effects of climate change.”

Of course, there’s plenty more news about Ford’s international sustainability programs online, with Robert Brown, Ford vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering, noting that: “Water and energy use, waste-to-landfill, Ford’s role in reducing the amount of greenhouse gases like CO2 in our atmosphere—these are just a few of the top sustainability-related priorities considered in every decision.”

To view Ford’s 2012-2013 sustainability report—titled “Blueprint for Sustainability: Our Journey Continues”—please visit: http://corporate.ford.com/microsites/sustainability-report-2012-13/default.