Ford said on Friday it was on track to power all its manufacturing plants with 100% locally sourced renewable energy by 2035 and already was using 100% green electric energy to power all facilities in UK, the Craiova plant, Romania, and in Cologne, Germany.
"Europe will be among the first Ford regions to become carbon neutral, before the global target," it said in a statement.
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In the US, Ford said, it was the only full line automaker "committed to doing its part to reduce CO2 emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and working with California for stronger vehicle greenhouse gas standards".
Ford of Europe has also joined the call for business, government and organisations to work together to develop a Sustainable Europe 2030 strategy.
The automaker, which is spending US$11.5bn in electric vehicles by the end of 2022, and had committed to offering an electrified version of every passenger vehicle it sells in Europe, intends to achieve carbon neutrality globally by 2050, while setting interim carbon neutrality targets.
The company announced the ambition as it issued its latest annual sustainability report.
The company previously announced its plan to use 100% locally sourced renewable energy for all its manufacturing plants globally by 2035 – such as hydropower, geothermal, wind or solar.
To achieve its carbon neutrality goal, Ford will focus initially on three areas that account for approximately 95% of its CO2 emissions – vehicle use, its supply base and company facilities.
Ford said it is setting the 2050 goal fully aware of challenges, including customer acceptance, government regulations, economic conditions and the availability of renewable, carbon-neutral electricity and renewable fuels.
Bob Holycross, chief sustainability, environment and safety officer, said: "We don't have all the answers yet but are determined to work with all of our global and local partners and stakeholders to get there."
Ford also is working to develop goals approved and defined by the Science Based Targets initiative for its Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
Scope 1 covers direct emissions from company owned or controlled sources while Scope 2 addresses indirect emissions from generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling.
Scope 3 emissions relate to in use emissions from vehicles that the automaker sells and emissions from its supply base, among others.
