Coca-Cola announces water conservation goal
mongabay.com
October 30, 2008
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Coca-Cola Company has pledged to a 20 percent improvement in water efficiency over 2004 levels in its worldwide operations by 2012, saving some 50 billion liters of fresh water over projected use that year, reports WWF, which negotiated the agreement.
Coca-Cola also announced a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent over 2004 levels for its operations in developed countries. While the target would amount to savings of 2 million tons of CO2 in 2015, it ignores emissions in developing countries where emissions are growing the fastest.
Coca-Cola also reiterated its commitment to WWF’s water conservation initiative that aims to protect important freshwater resources including the Yangtze, Mekong, Danube, Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, Lakes Niassa and Chiuta, the Mesoamerican Reef catchments, and rivers and streams in the southeastern United States.
Coca-Cola has lately led a push to “green” operations, including reducing emissions, pollution, and water consumption. The company stepped up its efforts following a campaign by environmentalists in India who accused bottlers of depleting ground water supplies. Coca-Cola was eventually exonerated in court.