Ford Joins Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program in India

Ford Motor Company has joined a voluntary greenhouse gas reporting program recently established in India, the automaker announced. The company already participates in similar programs in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

Ford has a goal of reducing CO₂ emissions at its global facilities, including two in Chennai, India, by 30 percent per vehicle by 2025.

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 greenhouse gas inventories.

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.

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 earth’s 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, according to the automaker.

Ford noted that already, total CO₂ emissions at its 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, Ford is expanding its 3-Wet paint capacity by 50 percent this year – adding the process to four more plants on three continents. Using this environmentally friendly 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, according to the automaker.