Michelin’s participation in the WBCSD

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) associates about 200 world-ranking companies, representing total sales of over US$6,000 billion. Based in Geneva, the WBCSD organizes the cooperative work to be carried out by its members. The goal is to identify progress avenues so as to concretely put into practice a more sustainable pattern of development, which is acceptable over the long term to people and the planet.

Michelin has been a member since 2001 and is particularly involved in discussions linked to mobility – the Sustainable Mobility Project from 2001 to 2004, the Tire Industry Project since 2005, Mobility for Development in 2007-2008 (see image and document) – and also in discussions on global issues – the Ecosystems Services Review, as well as Energy and Climate in 2008.

Contributing to standards and regulations

Michelin is continuously involved with authorities as well as professional associations of the tire industry (RMA, TRA JATMA, ETRMA, ETRTO), standardization organizations (ISO), regulatory organizations (UNECE), and vehicles manufacturers associations. In 2007-2008, Michelin followed with interest regulation projects related to tires which aimed to better satisfy consumer and societal expectations in the areas of fuel consumption, CO₂ emissions, grip and noise.

Michelin supports measures adopted by the European Union in 2009 to define a tire's impact on vehicle fuel efficiency, set minimum performance thresholds and inform consumers. In 2012, tires sold in Europe will display labels indicating their energy efficiency, wet grip and noise performance. Beginning in 2012, new vehicles in Europe will be equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems. The United States approved a similar law in 2007 that will take effect in 2010.

Challenge Bibendum in 2007 and 2010

The ninth Challenge Bibendum was held from November 14 to 17, 2007 in Shanghai. 3,500 participants and guests gathered in the city which will host the Universal Exhibition in 2010. The primary objective of the event was to demonstrate in action state-of-the-art “clean and safe” road vehicles. The 70 vehicles on display at the event were subject to a range of technical measurements while on a track, then on a 70 km long road route. A wide variety of vehicles were represented, from buses, traditionally-fueled vehicles and two-wheelers to electric, hybrid and fuel cell-powered cars. Significantly, the average CO₂ emissions of all the vehicles present, including electric vehicles and trucks, did not exceed 110 g/km, a value lower than the European objectives for 2012. Passenger car vehicles alone, because of the increasing presence of electricallypowered engines, did not exceed 58 g/km on average!

Scores of meetings and round table discussions enabled participants from the international community to evoke the avenues opened up by technology. The experts evaluated solutions which exist now on such topics as the advances in battery power, the reduction in road traffic congestion in urban areas or lessening dependence on oil, to make mobility more sustainable.

The next Challenge Bibendum, initially planned for April 2009 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), was held from May 30 to June 3 2010 due to the global economic crisis. Brazil was the scene for the first time ever of a South American edition of Challenge Bibendum. The Rio event marked a landmark in Challenge Bibendum’s history as its 10th anniversary edition.

Categories: Challenge Bibendum - Climate change - Energy - Sustainable mobility - Urban mobility

Keywords: Brazil - CO2 - safety - Transportation - WBCSD