Gm to Reduce Co2 Emissions by 40%, Doubles E85-capable Vehicles by 2010

General Motors Corp. has recently announced to the public that it is now working in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Leaders program to reduce CO2 exhaust emissions from the Detroit-based automaker's North American manufacturing plants. GM said they are targeting 40 percent CO2 emissions reduction in the next three years. EPA's Climate Leaders program is a voluntary agreement between the US government and companies to develop challenging strategies that will reduce the harmful emission of greenhouse gases in the environment. Every year, companies that are included in the Climate Leaders program are required to document the progress of their climate change strategies and report it to EPA.

“Our Climate Leaders partners are demonstrating corporate climate change leadership by embracing energy efficiency, green power, and technological innovation as sound business investments.” said Marcus Peacock, Deputy Administrator of EPA.

“Many of the nation’s leading companies are working aggressively with EPA to lower their greenhouse gas emissions in ways that advance President Bush’s climate change strategy.” he added.

Before GM joined EPA's Climate Leaders, the company has already established their own program in reducing CO2 emissions from their facilities in the United States. In fact, GM said they already reduced CO2 emissions by 25 percent since 2000, thanks to the company's effort long term efforts including, increasing energy efficiency in manufacturing, reducing waste, and improving the use of renewable resources like landfill gas and solar energy.

According to Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM Vice President for Environment and Energy:
"GM has demonstrated that voluntary programs work, and they make good business sense. Our partnership with the EPA’s Climate Leaders program is an excellent example of how government and industry together can encourage innovation and strong, forward-thinking action to help reduce environmental impact.”

Aside from manufacturing quality GM turn signal for the company's numerous brands, GM will also improve the consumer access to alternative fuels. In a meeting with Pres. George W. along with other Detroit-based automakers CEOs Alan Mulaly of Ford Motor Company and Tom LaSorda of Chrysler Group, GM CEO Richard Wagoner commented in the President's concern about ethanol fuel. Wagoner said:

"Yes, I'd just -- from General Motors' perspective, we very much share the President's vision, and we definitely see a path through to lower oil consumption, lower amounts of imported oil, and fewer carbon emissions. And obviously, a near-term opportunity that we are moving on right now, as the President cited, is flex-fuel vehicles that are powered by E85 ethanol. There are millions on the road today. As a group, we've agreed to double our production by the year 2010, and then have 50 percent of our production E85-capable by the year 2012. This makes a big difference, and there's nothing that can be done which can reduce the curve of growth in imported oil and actually turn it down like using E85, taking advantage of what's there today."

"So we look forward to the opportunity to work closely with the administration and Congress to increase the production of ethanol and to improve the distribution. And on the manufacturer's side, we look very, very much forward to playing our role in that process, as well." Wagoner further explained.