Environment
To help create a more sustainable world, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality in global products and operations by 2040. We are working toward greater efficiency in our products and operations through our production processes and the resources we use.
“We cannot do it all alone; collaboration is key. So we continue to work closely with others—from governments and policymakers to partners, suppliers and customers—as we take each step toward achieving our all-electric vision and our carbon neutral goal.”
Kathi WalkerDirector, Global Sustainability Strategies
Emissions Reduction Plan
Our goal is to achieve carbon neutrality in global products and operations by 2040.
Where We Are Now
Our increased sourcing of renewable energy, our growing electric vehicle (EV) portfolio and our Ultium battery all contributed to an overall reduction in our total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to our 2018 baseline.
Our Global 2022 Footprint
Scope 3—Use of Sold Products | 75% |
|---|---|
Scope 3—Purchased Goods and Services | 18% |
Scope 3—Other | 6% |
Scopes 1 and 2 | 1% |
Our Targets
To help us achieve carbon neutrality in global products and operations by 2040, we are committed to achieving the following milestones and Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-approved targets.
| Scope 3—Use of Sold Products | Scopes 1 & 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| By 2025 | Plan to rapidly scale our annual capacity to 1 million EVs for North America and more than 2 million EVs globally in 2025 | Source 100% renewable energy at our U.S. sites |
| By 2035 | Reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions from the use of sold products of light-duty vehicles by 51% per vehicle kilometer by 2035 against a 2018 baseline Eliminate tailpipe emissions from new U.S. light-duty vehicles by 2035 | Reduce energy intensity in our operations by 35% by 2035 against a 2010 baseline Source 100% renewable energy globally Reduce Scope 1 and 2 operations emissions by 72% by 2035 against a 2018 baseline |
Our Energy Strategy
Our strategy to manage energy in our operations and reduce our Scope 1 and 2 emissions involves a combination of improved energy efficiency, using more renewable power, mitigating against intermittent supply and advocacy work.
Our energy conservation and renewable energy program, guided by SBTi-approved targets, will help us achieve our long-term goal of carbon neutral operations and products by 2040.
As part of our strategy to reduce Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, we are working to lower energy consumption by improving efficiency. We also source renewable energy through direct investment, on-site generation, green tariffs and power purchase agreements.
See our energy and emissions data in our 2022 Sustainability Report
The Transition to Renewable Energy
In October 2022, we announced that we have successfully sourced 100% of the renewable energy needed to power all our U.S. sites by 2025.1
In meeting this accelerated timeline, we estimate that we will have avoided the production of approximately 1 million metric tons of carbon emissions that would have been produced between 2025 and 2030, which equates to burning 1 billion pounds of coal.
Learn about our strategic, holistic approach to powering our facilities and products with renewable energyAn All-Electric Future
Climate change is a global challenge that needs to be addressed. As part of the solution, we plan to make all-electric, zero-emission vehicles more accessible and affordable, bringing everyone along as we transition.
Under Scope 3, Use of Sold Products is the biggest contributor to our global emissions footprint, and reducing these emissions is one of our highest priorities. Our main strategy for addressing this is by eventually replacing traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with EVs, which have a significantly lower emissions intensity than equivalent ICE models.
We are building our EV portfolio to be inclusive, with models to suit a range of lifestyles and price points. We are on track to produce 400,000 EVs in North America by mid-2024, which will help lower the emission intensity from the use of sold products significantly.
1 Based on estimated forecasted global renewable energy sourced through currently executed agreements, subject to change depending on actual future electric usage in operations and actual future renewable generation.
2 Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s Corporate PPA Deal Tracker.
Designing for the Environment
Through holistic evaluations of our sustainability impacts, we make data-driven design decisions to develop impactful technologies, materials and products that help advance GM’s sustainability initiatives.
A circular approach will overcome some of the disadvantages of the traditional linear economy, in which materials are taken from the Earth, used to make products and then discarded as waste.
Nature
We rely on nature for many of the materials used in our products, including metals, wood and rubber. We are working to preserve biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems at our facilities and in sourcing communities through collaborations with key partners.
Sustainable Materials
We are aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of new GM vehicles through material selection and sourcing decisions such as lower GHG intensity processes, and more recycled and renewable content.
Circular Economy
Our work to improve circularity throughout the life cycle of our vehicles spans material selection and vehicle design, recycling, remanufacturing and reuse, and sustainable packaging.
Water
We are committed to managing water use in our facilities efficiently and responsibly, particularly in water-stressed locations.
Waste
We are working toward our Zero Waste3 ambition by treating waste as a useful resource that is out of place rather than something for disposal.
Sustainable Materials
As we transform our business to focus on the production of EVs, we aim to incorporate responsibly sourced materials in all our vehicles, and design in end-of-life reusability and recyclability.
We are aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of the materials in new GM vehicles through material selection and sourcing decisions that transition us from traditional materials to those made with innovative new processes. We are also using more recycled and renewable content, and content utilizing a higher proportion of renewable energy, as well as carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies.
Our approach to sustainable materials relies on a comprehensive commodity management plan for each of our key materials: plastics, steel, aluminum, textiles, EV battery materials and more. Together, these represent more than 90% of the CO2 emissions associated with the materials we use in our vehicles.
Recycled Plastics in GM Vehicles
To support the reduction of GHG emissions, we continue to increase the recycled content of materials in our vehicles. While such materials are not available on all vehicles, each application provides valuable insights and brings us closer to achieving our sustainability goals.
Pounds
12.6M—wheelhouse liners
4.5M—HVAC ducts
1.8M—center console
1.5M—interior door skin
1.3M—window support brackets
900,000—door trim
632,000—underbody shields
250,000—active grill shutters
245,000—hubcaps
210,000—horn housings
165,000—fans and fan shrouds
Waste and Water
We aim to divert more than 90% of our total operational waste from landfills, incinerators and energy recovery facilities by 2025,4 and surpassed our waste reduction target three years ahead of schedule. This has been accomplished by achieving a waste diversion rate of 91.8%3,4 and diverting 1.33 million metric tons of waste from landfills, incinerators and energy recovery facilities.
We are also committed to managing water use in our manufacturing facilities efficiently and responsibly, particularly in water-stressed locations such as Mexico and China. We use predictive modeling to focus our efforts to preserve water quality and support water stewardship in our operations, supply chain and local communities.
3 GM’s waste program represents the percentage of waste diverted from landfill, incinerators and energy recovery compared to a three-year average (2017–2019) baseline of total operational waste generated and is based on the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) to reflect a 90% diversion threshold.
4 Total operational waste is defined as all relevant waste streams (≥98% of reported operational waste) that are not generated due to construction, demolition or remediation activities.
More on Environment in Our 2022 Sustainability Report
Scaling EV Production Capacity
In support of our ambition to expand our EV manufacturing capacity, we will continue to invest in EVs, EV software and autonomous electric vehicles.
Energy-Saving Programs
We are aligning our business strategy with environmental goals and energy reduction targets, collecting accurate data and publicly reporting progress against those targets.
Remanufacturing
By enabling the reuse of vehicle parts through remanufacturing, we can help to reduce raw material needs and waste to landfill.
Nature
Through key collaborations with the Wildlife Habitat Council and the National Wildlife Federation, we are working to preserve biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems at our facilities and in surrounding communities.
Also on This Site
Strategy
Our sustainability strategy supports our vision of an all-electric future, our carbon neutral goal and our growth strategy, which we believe can lead to greater revenue and margins.
Innovation
Our innovations include electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, self-driving ride-hailing services and low-carbon delivery vehicles.
Social
Our aspiration is to make GM the most inclusive company in the world. We are also focused on protecting human rights, fostering supplier relationships and bringing communities along.
Governance
We have robust governance structures and policies in place to manage our business in a responsible and ethical way.