TOKYO (May 27, 2008) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today became the first automaker in Japan to introduce a carbon offset program linked to the sale of a vehicle. For every March Collet sold, Nissan will pledge one ton of carbon credits*1 under Carbon Offset Japan, an environmental non-profit organization abiding by the prinicipals of the Kyoto Protocol*2.
One ton of carbon credits is equivalent to the amount of CO2 emitted*3 from 8,000km of driving. Carbon Offset Japan will be responsible for the appropriation of the carbon credits through the integration of sustainable and renewable energy utilization across all commercial goods and services sectors.
The campaign, the first of its kind in Japan, allows customers to balance out their individual CO2 footprint and make a direct positive contribution to CO2 reduction globally.
Mechanism of carbon offset activities through March Collet
The Carbon Offset Customer Campaign reflects Nissan's holistic approach to address C02 reduction at every level of its business operations. Under the Nissan Green Program 2010, the company's efforts are not limited to product actions through the reduction of vehicle CO2 emissions, but encompass non-product initiatives such as the Carbon Offset Campaign.
In February, Nissan also announced a similar Carbon Offset Campaign under its shareholders' special benefit program.
The Nissan Green Program 2010 mid-term environmental plan is aimed at developing new technologies, products and services that can lead to real-world reductions in vehicle CO2 emissions, cleaner emissions, and recycling of resources.
*1: Carbon credits = Certified Emission Reduction (CER) credits obtained from greenhouse gas emission reduction projects approved by the United Nations.
*2: Ratified at "The Third Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3)" which was held in Kyoto in December 1997. The Kyoto Protocol sets greenhouse gas emission reduction obligations including CO2. It obliges Japan to curb greenhouse gas emissions by 6% compared to 1990.
*3: Calculated based on 122g per 1km drive which is 19.0km/L(2WD) under 10-15 test mode on the March Collet.
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