Stalled on Carbon Pollution

Automakers get poor marks for ever-rising global warming pollution

Posted: 09-Aug-2005; Updated: 02-Oct-2007

Rows of new SUV's at a Ford dealership. A steady rise in light trucks has fueled the jump in carbon emissions. PHOTO: Jeff Greenberg\PhotoEdit, Inc.

How do the Big Six rank?

#1 GENERAL MOTORS
General Motors and Ford have the largest total new fleet CO₂ emissions. GM's vehicles sold in 2003 emit 6.4 million tons of carbon annually, the biggest carbon burden among automakers. Its carbon pollution rate was 6.3% higher than in 1990.

#2 FORD
Ford's performance was second worst, with its average CO₂ emissions rate rising 7.7 percent over the 1990-2003 period, reaching a carbon burden of 5 million tons. (Ford would have to sell over 650,000 cars like the Escape Hybrid just to compensate for the increase in the company's new fleet-average CO₂ emissions rate.)

#3 DAIMLERCHRYSLER
DaimlerChrysler's CO₂ emissions rate went up by 6.8 percent over the same period, reaching a carbon burden of 3 million tons in 2003. Trucks comprised a staggering 74 percent of DaimlerChrysler's model year 2003 light vehicle sales.

#4 TOYOTA
Even as it pioneered hybrid-electric cars (along with Honda) Toyota's product strategies were still damaging overall, with its new fleet-average CO₂ emissions rates rising 2.9 percent over the period, reaching a carbon burden of 2.3 million tons in 2003. (To compensate for its 2.9% increase in fleet-average CO₂ emissions rate, Toyota would have to sell 150,000 hybrids -- 8% of its sales -- with the same average fuel savings as the Prius and Lexus RX400h.)

#5 HONDA
Despite its fleet of hybrid-electric cars, Honda's 2003 new fleet-average CO₂ emissions rates rose 5.7 percent from its 1990 level -- driven by its growing truck share of the market -- even though its emissions rate is still the lowest among the Big Six. Honda's carbon burden reached 1.7 million tons in 2003. (To compensate for its 5.7% increase in fleet-average CO₂ emissions rate, Honda would have to sell over 300,000 hybrids -- 22% of its 2003 sales -- with the same average fuel savings as the Civic and Accord Hybrids.)

#6 NISSAN
Nissan's new fleet-average CO₂ emissions rates rose 8.4% between 1990 and 2003 -- the biggest increase among the "Big Six." In 2003, its carbon burden reached 1 million tons.

In the last five years, gasoline prices have soared, and more fuel-saving hybrid-electric vehicles debuted to an enthusiastic audience. That should, in theory, lead to less global warming pollution from cars and trucks. After all, the less gas cars burn, the less carbon dioxide they release.

Yet carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from U.S. cars and light trucks jumped 25 percent from 1990 to 2003. Both total emissions and average emissions per vehicle continue to rise, even over the last five years. These are among the findings of a new report from Environmental Defense, Automakers' Corporate Carbon Burdens [PDF].

Our report looks at what's behind the growing global warming pollution from cars. It analyzes the automobile's impact through "carbon burdens," a way of measuring the annual average CO₂ emissions over the whole life of a group of vehicles. (Rankings by company are below.)

Why it matters: Autos are a big source of global warming pollution
Automobiles (cars and light trucks) are key to stopping global warming -- they spew out 20 percent of the nation's global warming pollution. And because the U.S. is world's largest global warming polluter, U.S. automobiles account for a significant chunk of the world's heat-trapping pollution -- about 5 percent. But the last decades brought no improvement in cutting emissions from the automotive sector overall.

Why are automakers' carbon burdens increasing?
The main reason is that all automakers -- including the Big Six: GM, Ford, DaimlerChrysler (DCX), Toyota, Honda and Nissan -- are producing and selling more and more light trucks without a corresponding increase in fuel economy. Light trucks include SUVs, minivans and "sports wagons."

Automakers now classify nearly all of their new and trendy designs as light trucks, a strategy to avoid higher fuel efficiency standards. Since 1988, the market share of light trucks has climbed from 30 percent to a whopping 51 percent. Light trucks on average emit 39 percent more carbon per mile than passenger cars in 2003.

Worse news: Huge vehicles like luxury pckups not regulated
Another trend dragging down progress on emissions is increasing sales of heavier vehicles whose carbon burdens cannot be counted. This includes three-quarter and one-ton pickups and a growing number of the largest SUVs, such as the Hummer H2 and the Ford Excursion.

These vehicles, manufactured by GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, escape fuel economy regulation, and federal agencies don't track them. Because there is little quantifiable data, their additional carbon burdens aren't included in our report. That means the actual carbon burdens of GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are even larger than what is estimated here.

A challenge within reach
Carmakers have shown in the past they can shift gears and meet new challenges. Not long ago, many auto firms that denied the global warming problem now profess a desire to help solve the problem. In 1998, major automakers made voluntary agreements with the European Union to cut their fleet-average CO₂ emissions rates.

The recent World Business Council for Sustainable Development's Mobility 2030 report, endorsed by the Big Six of the U.S. market, recommended a goal of limiting emissions to sustainable levels. In addition, automakers have started reporting CO₂ emissions from their factory operations and the emissions rates of their fleets; they now regularly publicize new technologies and other activities promising emissions reductions.

Message to automakers: Stop blocking progress
Yet the major automakers still fight cutting carbon pollution in the U.S., the world's largest auto market. In February 2005, the big automakers sued the state of California, for example, to block the state's clean cars law. (Read the full story.)

Many players influence decisions that determine what kind of cars are built and sold, how much they are driven and how they are fueled. But the auto industry is a dominant player. So what can we do to convince automakers to take responsibility and cut carbon pollution?

Instead, support strong public policy
What's missing in automakers' strategies is a constructive stance on public policy, which is essential for balancing market forces with global warming and energy security concerns. "The market alone can't solve global warming and even the best technology is worthless without the right policy," noted Environmental Defense's John DeCicco, an auto expert. "Automakers hold the key to open the door to the political commitment needed for true progress."

Car companies can take a proactive stance. "Automakers should support a national greenhouse gas cap in order to create a context in which greener vehicles will flourish," said Kevin Mills, director of Environmental Defense's Clean Car Campaign.

FIND OUT MORE

News release: Automaker Strategies Aggravate Global Warming
Executive summary (PDF file): Automakers' Corporate Carbon Burdens
Full report (PDF file): Automakers' Corporate Carbon Burdens
Cars and the Environment: Automobiles account for 20% of our nation's emissions of carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Get in-depth information on the problem and solutions.