GM Signs “Climate Declaration”

According to a recent press release from GM, approximately 40 major corporations in the United States have signed a “Climate Declaration” that asserts that being responsive to climate change represents good business policy. Now, General Motors has become the first automaker to sign the Declaration.

The announcement of GM’s embrace of the initiative was made at the Ceres Conference in San Francisco. Ceres is an advocacy group that promotes sustainable business practices. Its coalition, Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) is spearheading the Climate Declaration initiative.

In fact, GM has been active with Ceres for over 20 years as it improved its sustainability practices. In signing the Climate Declaration, General Motors affirmed much of what it has both advocated and pursued for the better part of two decades. Strategies include the promotion of clean energy, improving energy efficiency, and reducing carbon emissions.

CEO Calls For Long-Term Policy

In March of 2013, the CEO of General Motors, Dan Akerson, advocated the creation of a Blue Ribbon Commission by the President to develop a long-term, 30-year framework for U.S. energy security policy.

GM Energy Efficiency Goals

GM already has 54 facilities that meet the Challenge For Industry EnergyStar goal of reducing energy consumption by 10 percent in five years. The facilities actually managed an average 26 percent reduction in less than three years, and GM realized $90 million in energy cost reductions.

Solar Successes

General Motors has two of the five biggest rooftop solar installations on the planet. Today, it is the leading automotive consumer of solar energy in the country. By 2020, GM expects to reach an annual production level of 125 megawatts of renewable energy.

A Carbon Reduction Initiative

GM has pledged up to $40 million to finance an effort by the Chevrolet division to assist with community-based projects that will reduce carbon emissions. The stated goal is to reduce as much as 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

More information on GM’s various environmental initiatives is available at www.gmsustainability.com and also at its environmental blog, www.GMBeyondNow.com.

Together with its partners, the General Motors Company (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) manufacture vehicles in 30 nations. GM occupies leadership spots in most of the world’s fastest growing and largest automotive markets. Together with joint venture enterprises and various subsidiairies, General Motors sells vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Holden, Baojun, Izuzu, Opel, Wuling, and Vauxhall brands. Additional resources are available at http://www.gm.com.