At New York Auto Show, Public Citizen Pressures Toyota to Clean Up Supply Chains, Prioritize EVs
New York – At the New York International Auto Show, activists from Public Citizen and allied organizations on Saturday unveiled a banner reading “Toyota: We need zero emissions, not zero progress” in front of Toyota Motor Corporation’s exhibition space.
The action comes days after the organization, along with over 50 other consumer protection, health, and environmental groups, sent an open letter to Toyota CEO Koji Sato, calling for the company to move quickly toward building fossil-free vehicles and eliminating human rights and environmental damage from its supply chains.
At the auto show, activists distributed leaflets to attendees assigning Toyota “F” letter grades for its failure to transition to zero-emission vehicles and for failing to ensure its suppliers are protecting the environment and human rights.
“Toyota continues to greenwash its products while resisting a truly fossil-free future,” said Erika Thi Patteron, auto supply chain campaign director with Public Citizen’s Climate Program. “Worse yet, Toyota made zero progress towards decarbonizing its supply chain or eliminating human rights abuses over the past year. Toyota must take urgent action to build more electric vehicles and develop cleaner, safer supply chains.”
The actions at the New York Auto International Show are part of an escalating campaign by environmental and consumer advocacy groups at auto shows in major cities across the globe intended to persuade the industry to move rapidly toward electrification and cleaner supply chains.
“The transition to producing 100% zero-emission vehicles will improve our climate and health,” said East Peterson-Trujillo, senior clean vehicles campaigner with Public Citizen’s Climate Program. “While Toyota touts itself as an environmentally conscious company, it actively opposes the transition toward all-electric vehicles. Consumers deserve to know the impacts that Toyota’s actions have on our climate and our communities.”
Photos from the actions are available here.
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