Honda Participates in Climate Change Panel in DC

Jim Kliesch, Environmental Regulatory Affairs manager at American Honda Motor Co., served as a panelist last week at a climate change session hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Inc. (CHCI) in Washington D.C.

The panel, entitled “Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges Post-Paris Accord Withdrawal,” was held Monday as part of the three-day CHCI Leadership Conference. The annual conference brings together members of Congress and community leaders across the country to foster discussions on issues impacting Hispanic communities.

The theme of the panel session centered around the fact that while the U.S is no longer a part of the Paris Accord on Climate Change, which was a collective international agreement to largely reduce carbon emissions, local governments, foundations, and the private sector are banding together to fill in the gaps and create new opportunities for innovative technologies that will help the U.S. meet the commitments made under the accord.

Kliesch spoke about Honda’s environmental philosophy and how the company’s passion for innovative technologies are reflected in its upcoming product lineup.
“In terms of our vehicles, we strive to think and innovate based not only on what our customers want today, but what we believe they and society will need in the future,” Kliesch told the group during his opening remarks. “This includes the pressing need to move away from fossil fuels and curb CO2 emissions.”

Kliesch shared Honda’s goal for electrified vehicles to comprise two-thirds of global vehicle sales by 2030 and its target of a 50% reduction in total company CO2 emissions (from year 2000 levels) by 2050. Kliesch also shared that half of the new U.S. models launched by Honda in America over the next two years will be electrified vehicles, noting that this line up will include battery electric vehicles, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles.

The panel was co-hosted by Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-3), Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24).

Other panelists at the event included:
• Kevin Rabinovitch, Global Sustainability Director, Mars
• Mayor Rey Leon, City of Huron, California
• Andy Carrasco, Regional Public Affairs Director, SoCalGas
• Mark Magaña, President, Green Latinos

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