2007 Interactive Registration Document - Renault

03 ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
PERFORMANCE
3.2 ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
3.2.1 ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES
The survival of natural environments depends on maintaining a delicate balance
between fauna, fl ora and humans. This balance is threatened today by human
activities and their impact on the environment: population growth, economic
expansion and consumer trends. Increasing global consumption of water, fossil
resources (oil, gas) and other non-renewable raw materials is dangerously
reducing the natural resources that will be available to future generations, since
these resources cannot be renewed in the same proportions.
Greenhouse gases, including CO 2 , are contributing to climate change. Chemical
substances released into the atmosphere contribute to phenomena like acid rain
and the formation of tropospheric ozone. When these substances are discharged
in bodies of water, eutrophication can occur. This encourages the proliferation
of algae, which asphyxiate other aquatic organisms.
Renault’s environmental policy addresses the major environmental challenges
that are specifi cally related to the automotive industry:
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the manufacture and use of vehicles consume natural resources and produce
waste;
vehicle operation produces carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas;
the sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted by vehicles contribute to acid
rain and acid soil;
vehicle use increases environmental noise levels.
Renault has defi ned fi ve priorities for its environmental policy:
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preserve natural resources;
eliminate or reduce environmental impacts;
develop product and service offerings that are compatible with environmental
protection;
implement environmental management across the company and throughout
the product life cycle;
organize communication on environmental issues.
At Renault, actively protecting the environment means creating a range of
vehicles and services that will maintain the ecological balance in the local
ecosystem and at planetary level, taking into account the environmental and
economic situations in each market. It also means tracking and taking part in
scientifi c, regulatory and fi scal debate with French and European authorities
to reduce the impact of the car on the environment.
Renault welcomed an initiative put forward at the end of 2007 by the French
government which:
rewards vehicles emitting less than 130 g of CO 2 per kilometer;
penalizes those emitting more than 161 g of CO 2 per kilometer;
is neutral for vehicles with CO 2 emissions of between 131 g and 160 g of
CO 2 per km.
I n France’s national debate on the environment, Renault again stated that it was
very much in favor of this type of taxation, based on a bonus/surcharge system.
This type of taxation promotes the increased availability of vehicles with low CO 2
emissions. These vehicles play an essential role in efforts to prevent climate
change. Renault’s commitment in this area dates back to February 2006 and
Renault Commitment 2009, and was further reinforced by the roll-out of the
Renault eco 2 label in May 2007.
This label promotes dialogue with the customer on the life-cycle approach
chosen by Renault some years ago. This approach takes into account all the
ways in which a vehicle impacts the environment during its lifetime, from the
design and development phase onwards.
Renault has accordingly been making precise measurements of environmental
fl ows during the phases of vehicle production and use. It is also gaining a
clearer picture of fl ows in other life-cycle phases such as the supplier chain
and the treatment of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). More and more comparisons
are being made between vehicles of different generations in the same segment.
The Laguna II/New Laguna comparison shows the progress made in just a
few years.
94 Registration Document Renault 2007
Find out more at www.renault.com
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