Volvo, the truck company, who has top brands such UD Trucks, Renault Trucks, Volvo Trucks, and Mack Trucks – has become the first auto maker in the world to join the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) Climate Savers program.  Through this partnership with WWF, the Volvo Group of truck companies will undertake significant reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from their trucks manufactured through 2014.

This agreement between WWF and Volvo Group will be applicable for the Volvo Group’s truck companies UD Trucks, Renault Trucks, Volvo Trucks, and Mack Trucks.  The undertaking states that:

• > Volvo will cut down the amount of lifetime CO2 emissions by trucks marketed and manufactured from 2009 to 2014 by 13,000,000 tons, when compared to models manufactured in 2008. Volvo will achieve this goal by introducing cutting-edge technologies for improving fuel efficiency.  The amount of CO2 emissions to be reduced is almost the same as the total amount of CO2 emissions in Sweden in a period of three months.
• > The Volvo Group will also undertake reduction of CO2 emissions from its manufacturing plants by 12% (0.5 million tons) before 2014, when compared with 2008.
• > Volvo will introduce trucks in the commercial truck market that will be powered by renewable fuel/gas before 2014.
• > Volvo will develop a prototype truck which would have 20% lower fuel consumption compared to equivalent 2008 model.

Autonomous technical experts appointed by WWF will oversee and monitor the progress of the Volvo Group to ensure that it adheres to the agreement.

Volvo plans to use cutting edge technologies to improve fuel economy to achieve this goal.  Volvo will also undertake development of a new prototype truck that will consume 20% lower fuel than its 2008 counterpart.  Volvo also has plans to lower its operational emissions from its manufacturing plants by 12% before 2014.  The company has already started its mission to come up with a commercial truck that can be powered by renewable fuels by the year 2014.  Earlier, in 2007, Volvo had designed world’s first ‘carbon neutral automotive plant’ in Gent, Belgium which was powered by wind and biofuel technologies alone.

What is WWF?  WWF is an International organization whose mission is to prevent the degradation of and to restore earth’s natural environment so that our future generations will live harmoniously with the nature.  WWF’s Climate Savers Program is geared towards motivating MNC’s to cut their CO2 emissions.

Multinational companies participating in this program commit to achieve significant reduction in their CO2 emissions by signing an agreement with the WWF and private technical experts. The company must become a leader its own industry by setting an ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gases than what it has done in the past.  The private-public partnership currently involves about 25 of world’s largest companies including Nike, Sony, IBM, Johnson and Johnson, HP, and Diversey – who have pledged to reduce their carbon dioxide footprints significantly.

Volvo has become the first automobile manufacturer chosen to participate in the WWF Climate Savers Program.  Volvo believes to create more value to their customers and their business by contributing reduction in CO2 emission footprints.

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