Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group have joined the United States Climate Action Partnership, AP reports. General Motors joined the organization in May.
At the same time, Cerberus Capital Management, which is in the midst of purchasing 80 percent of Chrysler from parent DaimlerChrysler, is aggressively lobbying against tougher fuel standards that they warn could cripple the automaker, DowJones reports.
Last week, the Senate passed a bill that includes raising the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020.
“We are at a critical stage in the conversation on climate change, energy consumption and environmental protection,” Ford President and Chief Executive Alan Mulally said in a statement. “We all recognize it is time for action.”
Mulally and Tom LaSorda, Chrysler Group president and CEO, both said their companies support the partnership’s push for cost-effective, but quick, new technologies.
“Now is the time for advancing a national approach to climate change where all of us, individuals, industry and government, take action toward reducing emissions of greenhouse gases,” LaSorda said in Chrysler’s statement.
USCAP’s founding members include Alcoa, BP America, Caterpillar, Duke Energy, DuPont, FPL Group, Inc., General Electric, PG&E, and PNM Resources, along with four leading non-governmental organizations – Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council, Pew Center on Global Climate Change and World Resources Institute.
The organization has announced numerous new members recently.