The issue of climate change is such an urgent matter that Cologne has become Germany’s first city to declare a climate emergency. But there’s another first, with Ford stepping forward as the initial signatory to the Cologne Climate Declaration.
Ford becomes the first company to sign the Cologne Climate Declaration in Germany
It's a historic move for the American automaker, which has declared a mission of carbon neutrality in Europe by 2035. The goal encompasses not only its manufacturing process, but also its logistics and supply chain management.
“The climate crisis is our biggest and most pressing common challenge,” according to Dr. Wulf-Peter Schmidt, Director for Sustainability, Regulations & Product Compliance for Ford Europe. “As the largest industrial company in Cologne, we are taking up the challenge with our climate neutrality strategy.”
Following Ford’s signing, a number of local entities followed suit in signifying their commitment to address the climate crisis. These include insurance company Gothaer Finanzholding AG, the archdiocese of Cologne, the Association of the Evangelical Church of Cologne, and Gescher LaMassoret eV, representing the Jewish Liberal Local community.
The automaker has pledged an all-electric lineup by 2035
In February 2021, Ford declared that it will market electric vehicles (EVs) exclusively in its lineup beginning in 2030. In June 2022, the company announced its $2 billion (Php 114.5 billion) investment towards converting its Cologne facility to assemble electric passenger vehicles starting 2023. It has also identified Valencia in Spain as the site of a future plant to manufacture vehicles based on Ford’s next-generation EV architecture.
Cologne’s climate initiative was proclaimed under the Cologne/Bonn chapter of ‘Scientists for Future’ (S4F), a worldwide association of scientists that commits itself to a sustainable future.
Solid Power, a start-up between Ford and BMW, aims to ship solid-state batteries to the two automakers by end of 2022
The group belonging to Cologne and Bonn alone comprises 170 experts across various fields. These resource persons are tapped to provide expertise, advice, and public relations as part of their advocacy in demanding decisive action to address the climate crisis.
Joining more than 700 cities worldwide to sound off the alarm on climate change, Cologne became the first in Germany to call a climate emergency in July 2019, spurred by an overwhelming vote cast by the city’s parliament.
Find out what steps the auto industry is taking toward efficiency at Philkotse.com.