Announced in 2015, TOYOTA’s global Environmental Challenge 2050 comprises six challenges. They cover every aspect of business, exploration of new products and technologies, and its role as an enabler for individuals and communities to learn about and improve the natural world around them.
Toyota has been continuously following public opinions and trends and considering what issues should be focused and working on environmental areas with new ideas and technologies in anticipation of future aspects. However, there are still many global environmental issues to be addressed including climate change, water shortages, resource depletion and loss of biodiversity.
As TOYOTA announced the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 in October 2015 each one of us can face these issues and continue to tackle challenges from a long-term perspective of the world 20 and 30 years ahead.
A. Achieve Zero CO2 Emissions
Challenge 1: New Vehicle Zero CO2 Emissions
Reduce global average CO2 emissions from new vehicles by 90 percent compared to Toyota’s 2010 levels by 2050.
Cars that use cleaner, alternative fuels can only have an impact when the public takes them up in large numbers. Part of Toyota’s New Vehicle Zero CO2 Emissions Challenge therefore involves working with the public to make new generation electrified vehicles more widely available. They also be encouraging development of the necessary infrastructure – such as filling stations and charging points – to support their use.
In order to achieve the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, in 2018 we set the 2030 Milestone and set the 2025 Target in 2020. TOYOTA will take concrete action under these short- to medium-term measures, contributing to the realization of a sustainable society.
Challenge 2: Plant Zero CO2 Emissions
Achieve zero CO2 emissions at global plants by 2050.
Reduce CO2 emissions from global plants by 35 percent compared to 2013 levels Toyota’s Zero CO2 Emissions Challenge includes rationalizing manufacturing processes, making them shorter so that less CO2 is produced. They make entire facilities more energy-efficient and adopt renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, and low-carbon power, such as hydrogen energy.
Challenge 3: Life Cycle Zero CO2 Emissions
Completely eliminate all CO2 emissions throughout the entire vehicle life cycle.
To achieve the objectives of Life Cycle Zero CO2 Emissions Challenge Toyota is working on more environmentally friendly vehicle designs that use raw materials with lower amounts of carbon. They are designing vehicles with fewer parts too, and they are making greater use of biomaterials from renewable sources while making new vehicles easier to dismantle and recycle.
Reduce CO2 emissions by 25 percent or more throughout the entire vehicle life cycle compared to 2013 levels by promoting activities for the milestones of New Vehicle Zero CO2 Emissions Challenge and Plant Zero CO2 Emissions Challenge, and with support from stakeholders such as suppliers, energy providers, infrastructure developers, governments and customers.
B. Achieve a net positive environmental impact
Challenge 4: Minimizing and Optimizing Water Usage
Minimize water usage and implement water discharge management according to individual local conditions. Implement measures, on a priority basis, in the regions where the water environment is considered to have a large impact. Water quantity and Water quality are the two main areas for this challenge. Complete impact assessments and measures at all the 22 plants where used. Disclose information appropriately and communicate actively with local communities and suppliers.
Toyota is implementing a few actions to minimize and optimize water usage at manufacturing sites. They are collecting rainwater to reduce the amount which factories must take from ground water or the piped supply. Also, they have also developed purification methods so that the water use can be used again, or returned safely into the local supply network.
Challenge 5: Establishing a Recycling-based Society and Systems
Promote global deployment of End-of-life vehicle treatment and recycling technologies and systems developed in Japan.
To help build an ideal resource/recycling-based society, Toyota is working in four key areas: making greater use of eco-friendly materials - designing and using longer-lasting parts - developing more effective and thorough recycling technologies - and using more of the materials recovered when a vehicle is disposed of to make new ones.
Challenge 6: Establishing a Future Society in Harmony with Nature
Connect nature conservation activities beyond the Toyota Group and its business partners among communities, with the world, to the future. They run numerous small and large projects throughout the world to support the target of establishing a future society in harmony with nature. They include organizing reforestation and tree planting, green urban schemes and other environmental initiatives at their own sites and externally based in collaboration with local communities and companies. Contribute to biodiversity conservation activities in collaboration with NGOs and others. Expand initiatives both in-house and outside to foster environmentally conscious persons responsible for the future.
