TOKYO – In response to the reelection of Toyota Motor Chairman Akio Toyoda, Greenpeace East Asia campaigner Mariko Shiohata said:
“Although Akio Toyoda was reelected to Toyota’s board of directors, it’s clear that many shareholders are not happy with the company’s direction. Pressure on Toyota’s management team has been growing for years because of the company’s insufficient electrification efforts, among other factors. Investors have also shown concern around governance and whether the company has ensured clarity and transparency under Mr. Toyoda’s reign.
Toyota’s continued development of combustion engine vehicles is in conflict with the company’s aim to achieve net zero by 2050. Toyota has failed to transition to battery electric vehicles, and its battery electric vehicle ratio was only 1% in 2023, lower than that of all other leading automakers. Meanwhile, hybrids are not a viable strategy in the medium-term, as a hybrid-focused strategy is insufficient to comply with growing regulations in many markets.
As the global annual average temperature increase approaches 1.5 Celsius, we are experiencing record-setting heat waves, drought and storms. Our planet is in crisis. Yet Toyota’s sense of climate urgency remains absent. Worldwide, Toyota is responsible for at least 1.5% of global emissions.
It’s time for Toyota to change course. The automaker must phase out fossil fuel vehicles by 2030 worldwide, and 2028 in Europe. Can we, our children, and grandchildren fare any better under a re-appointed Mr. Toyoda as the chairman of the board of directors of the largest automaker in the world?
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Media Contact
Erin Newport, International Communications Officer, Greenpeace East Asia +886 958 026 791, [email protected]