Call on Toyota to stop selling fossil fuel vehicles

Toyota lead sponsor, top emitter

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are here. We’re excited for diving, discus throws, decathlons, and more – but, unfortunately, the Olympics are sponsored by one of the world’s biggest carbon emitters.

Toyota, a leading sponsor of the XXXIII Olympic Games in Paris, is a major contributor to carbon emissions. By selling tens of millions of fossil fuel cars in 2022, Toyota’s carbon emissions reached 1.5% of the world’s total emissions1 – nearly twice the total annual emissions of France2.

Reportedly, nearly 40% of the vehicles sold by Toyota this past April were gasoline-electric hybrids and only 2% were electric vehicles (EVs)3. Toyota must stop selling new fossil fuel vehicles, including hybrids, worldwide by 2030 to address the climate crisis4.

Unlike some of its competitors, Toyota has not committed to phasing out fossil fuel vehicles5. Instead, the automaker has lobbied against climate policies according to the InfluenceMap6, while aiming to sell more fuel-guzzling combustion engine cars.

Toyota’s negative climate lobbying and resistance to phasing out fossil fuel cars are a threat to our planet, as well as the automaker’s reputation and competitiveness. It’s time to call on Toyota to take action in the face of intensifying forest fires, droughts, and heatwaves all over the world. 

Please join us by signing this letter and demanding Toyota to act. Your voice will have a big impact on our planet!

To Toyota Senior Executive Team: Please Stop Selling Fossil Fuel Vehicles

Dear Toyota Senior Executive Team,

Your company, Toyota Motors, is one of the best-known sponsors of the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. However, due to Toyota’s negative climate lobbying, the company’s global reputation is under threat.

In 2022, emissions from cars sold cumulatively by Toyota amounted to a staggering 1.5% of global emissions1, nearly twice the total emissions of France2. Unfortunately, Toyota has not committed to phasing out polluting fossil fuel vehicles at all. 

I am writing because I believe Toyota can do better.

Toyota claims its mission7 is to “produce happiness for all.” With millions of people under threat from scorching temperatures, wildfires, and record-setting storms, Toyota must reverse course on climate. Without acting to protect the safety of those who live in the most climate-vulnerable regions, Toyota’s pursuit of “happiness for all” rings hollow. 

We are calling on you, the Senior Executive Team, to:

  1. Align your business plans with the Paris Climate Agreement.
  2. Commit to stop selling new fossil fuel vehicles, including hybrids, globally by 2030 at the latest.
  3. Stop trying to water down climate policies and targets across the world.

We believe that you possess a level of engineering technology sufficient to play a leadership role in the car industry and make real progress towards net zero goals.

Toyota, the world is watching you. Please act responsibly and protect our planet.

With power and unity,

Add your name

More information:
[1] International Energy Agency (IEA)’s global CO2 emissions data in 2022: 36.8 Gt, Toyota’s latest disclosure (Sustainability Data Book Feb 2024, p.48) for 2022, Scope 3 emissions: 570.49 Mt => 570.49 Mt / 36.8 Gt = 1.55%
[2] Toyota’s emissions in 2022: 570 Mt (Toyota Sustainability Data Book Feb 2024, p.48); France’s emissions in 2022: 275Mt (IEA)
[3] Toyota’s global volumes fall in April, led by drops in China and Japan
[4] Greenpeace Germany: The Internal Combustion Engine Bubble
[5] Honda announced to cease to sell combustion engines worldwide by 2040 and by 2035 in China. Nissan announced to sell only electric vehicles in Europe by the end of the decade and will end the development of new combustion engine vehicles in all of its major markets, except the US. Though these commitments are still not aligned with the 1.5C goal, they are steps ahead of those of Toyota.
[6] In 2023-24, InfluenceMap research has found that Japanese automakers have consistently advocated globally to weaken key climate policies promoting zero-emission vehicles, in countries such as Australia, the US and India.
[7] Toyota Philosophy