The lean, green 4x4 machines

Mar 22 2007 By Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail

MIDLAND 4X4 manufacturer Land Rover is aiming to shed its "gas-guzzling" image with a motor industry first.

The Solihull-based firm has announced the first projects in its industry-leading CO2 Offset Programme, which enables both Land Rover and its customers to reduce greenhouse gases.

It is the largest and most comprehensive programme of its kind ever undertaken by an automotive manufacturer and offsets emissions generated by Land Rover production operations in Britain and the first 45,000 miles vehicle use by UK customers.

The ultimate goal is CO2 neutrality with investments being made in renewable energy projects such as wind and solar, technology change and energy efficiency.

The first projects will include providing hydro-electric power to a remote area of Tajikistan and funding a wind farm in China.

Together these projects will offset 150,000 tonnes of CO2 a year and bring social and environmental benefits to thousands of people.

In addition, the company is evaluating projects in Uganda, India, Turkey and the Dominican Republic. Details of these projects will be available once they are confirmed.

Phil Popham, Land Rover's managing director, said: "We are taking an integrated approach to help reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere.

"We have cut emissions from our vehicles and are working on technologies, like hybrids, that will make even bigger reductions.

"These offset schemes will make a difference now and will be of real benefit to communities, the environment and wildlife."

The CO2 Offset Programme has been established specifically for Land Rover and supports a multi-billion euro investment by Ford Motor Company across its European operations to develop environmental technologies.

Land Rover engineers are at the forefront of that development work. The CO2 Offset Programme is run by Climate Care and overseen by an independent Board of Governance. Other offset schemes will be announced in due course.