GM Reduced U.S. Greenhouse Gases 72% From 1990 To 2003

Voluntary Reporting Of GHG Emissions Under The DOE 1605b Registry Demonstrates Action With Measurable Results

DETROIT - General Motors' U.S. facilities reduced their overall composite greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions more than 72 percent in the past 13 years, according to a voluntary report that GM has filed with the U.S. Department of Energy 1605(b) GHG Emissions Registry. GM was the first automotive manufacturer to voluntarily report its greenhouse gas emissions to the DOE 1605(b) and has done so every year since its inception in 1995.

In actual numbers, GM reduces its U.S. stationary GHG output from 55.06 million metric tons CO2 equivalence (including factory fill halogenated GHG used in vehicle air conditioning) in 1990 to 15.27 million metric tons CO2 equivalence in 2003.

"GM has demonstrated that voluntary energy and GHG reduction initiatives work, and they make good business sense, said Elizabeth Lowery, GM vice president, Environment and Energy. "So far, the stationary GHG emissions from U.S. facilities have decreased more than 72 percent over the past 13 years."

The DOE 1605(b) was initiated under the 1992 Energy Policy Act, which provides organizations the opportunity to voluntarily report greenhouse gas emissions.

Stationary Sources Emissions of CO2 - one form of GHG - from GM's facilities in the United States declined 22.2 percent, from 11.67 million metric tons in 1990 to 9.08 million metric tons in 2003.

Globally, GM has publicly committed to reducing its levels of stationary carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by eight percent in five years from 2000 levels, an unprecedented level of commitment from any corporation, to date.

Stationary emissions of greenhouse gases from GM's manufacturing facilities (i.e. , direct fuel usage and indirect purchase of electricity) were reduced by implementing practices learned through voluntary programs such as the EPA Energy Star Partnership. GM earned the Energy Star 2002 Partner of the Year Award for its leadership in incorporating strategic energy management into its business operations.

"Our reductions are the result of numerous efforts to become more energy efficient," said Lowery. "We've converted to fuels that emit fewer greenhouse gases - such as using natural gas and/or direct landfill gas (i.e., methane) rather than coal to operate our boilers; we've consolidated manufacturing operations and/or transferred them to other facilities; we've switched from solvent-based to water-based painting processes; and we've installed additional environmental control equipment."

Stationary and Mobile Refrigerants Use GM's CO2 equivalent emissions from the use of halogenated substances [i.e., chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC-134a)] in GM manufactured vehicles and facilities have decreased 37.21 million metric tons or 85.7 percent from 1990 to 2003.

These compounds are used in solvents, aerosol propellants and refrigerants. Much of this reduction was due to switching refrigerants used in the factory fill of vehicle air conditioning systems.

Mobile Sources New car and new light truck CO2 emissions per mile also declined. CO2 emissions from GM's new cars dropped 4.8 percent between MY90 and MY03, while the reduction for GM's light trucks was 2.5 percent.

Carbon Capture GM also reports CO2 reductions due to carbon sequestration. By planting trees (reforestation),and by preserving trees that already exist, GM leverages the natural process of photosynthesis (i.e. combining CO2 from the atmosphere with sunlight to create nutrients) to capture CO2 from the air.

In 1990, GM began a tree-planting program that has put more than one million trees in the ground. These trees have captured an estimated 5,616 metric tons of CO2 in 2003 alone and have sequestered 29,809 metric tons of CO2 since its inception in 1990 The tree planting also provided the foundation for a much broader environmental stewardship and education program.

Additionally, GM has donated $10 million to The Nature Conservancy and Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem (SPVS) to establish the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Project. To date, approximately 134,386 trees have been planted on deforested land equaling nearly 20,000 acres of existing rainforest that will be preserved for future generations.

While not included in the 2003 DOE report, the carbon sequestration benefit of this project is currently being analyzed and will be reported in the future.