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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ford makes new pledge to reduce emissions by 30 percent

Justin Hyde Detroit Free Press

WASHINGTON – Ford Motor Co. pledged Wednesday to reduce the global-warming gas emissions of its U.S. and European vehicles by 30 percent between now and 2020, a move that, while driven by regulations, won praise from activist shareholders.

A coalition of groups, including the Connecticut state treasurer, has been pressuring U.S. corporations to lay out detailed plans for cutting emissions linked to global warming.

The groups said Wednesday that Ford’s response was a first among U.S. corporations and would be used as an example for other firms, including General Motors Corp.

The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, which led the charge, said it would press a resolution at GM’s shareholder meeting to make a similar pledge, and that 54 similar resolutions had been filed with public companies this year.

The goal closely mirrors the reductions required under new U.S. fuel economy rules, which target a 40 percent increase in standards to 35 mpg by 2020.

Ford and other automakers’ car fleets have long surpassed the standards for passenger cars.

Ford has a checkered past with environmental targets.

It won plaudits in 2000 for pledging to improve the fuel economy of its SUVs by 25 percent in five years, but had to back down from that goal in 2003.

It also promised in 2005 to build 250,000 hybrid vehicles a year by the end of the decade, but surrendered that target less than a year later.

Sue Cischke, Ford’s group vice president for sustainability, environment and safety engineering, said that Ford had fallen short in previous goals, but said the new target was the result of more detailed modeling.

“We started this” modeling “three years ago, and that’s given us confidence to be able to say what our thinking and blueprint and plan is, and how it’s aligning with the regulations,” she said.