WRI Media Advisory: The Road to Sustainable Transportation – The Auto Sector Weighs In

WRI Media Advisory: The Road to Sustainable Transportation – The Auto Sector Weighs In

March 16, 2004

WASHINGTON –

WHAT: Emerging technologies, such as hybrids and fuel cells, may potentially replace today’s conventional internal combustion engine and dramatically reduce CO2 emissions and other air pollutants from transportation.

As part of WRI’s Seventh Sustainable Enterprise Summit, representatives of the automotive and fuels sectors will weigh in on how they are positioning themselves to take advantage of market opportunities that will emerge for companies who can meet the challenge of providing lower-carbon transportation options.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 from 1:15-2:30pm

WHERE: Watergate Hotel

2650 Virginia Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20037

(800) 289-1555

WHO: David Hermance, executive engineer for environmental engineering, Toyota Technical Center

Venki Raman, business development manager, Air Products

Chris Sloane, director, FreedomCAR and technology strategy, General Motors, Inc.

Moderated by: Duncan Austin, senior economist, WRI

WHY: Transport is responsible for nearly 20 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions – a share that is expected to grow significantly for the foreseeable future. Personal mobility has become increasingly important in many populous developing countries, including China. How transport markets develop in terms of fuel economy and emissions requirements, clean technology advances, and investments in public transportation will have tremendous impacts on the trajectory of global C02 emissions and other air pollutants.

WRI’s Seventh Sustainable Enterprise Summit will take place on March 17-18, 2004 at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, DC. “Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Markets” will bring together innovative corporate leaders and sustainability experts to explore solutions that corporations can provide in response to today’s most pressing global challenges, and, in so doing, position themselves as the competitive enterprises of the future.

For more information on WRI’s Seventh Sustainable Enterprise Summit, please visit http://summit.wri.org.