16 Climate and Consumer NGOs Urge Toyota to Reduce Emissions and Combat the Climate Crisis

November 21, 2025 

Dear Mr. Toyoda and Mr. Sato,

In light of Toyota Motor Corporation's recently published greenhouse gas emissions data, we, the undersigned 16 climate and consumer NGOs, call upon the world’s top-selling automaker to reduce your absolute GHG emissions to align with the 1.5°C of the Paris Agreement, and to stop harmful lobbying against clean air and climate protection policies. We also urge you to cease funding the congressional campaigns of politicians who contribute to the acceleration of the climate crisis.

According to the FY2024 emissions data released on 30th October, Toyota’s emissions amounted to 589.57 million tons of-COe₂t, comparable to  more than half of all of Japan’s annual emissions. 

Toyota’s overall emissions reduction has been negligible between 2023 and 2024, despite the company’s attempts to project an image of progress by increasing hybrid vehicle sales by 10% in FY2024. While Toyota claims that hybrid vehicles are an “effective means of reducing CO₂ emissions right now,” the reality is that this multipathway powertrain strategy falls short of what the market truly needs. A recent survey by Greenpeace Japan of 1,000 climate victims in the country revealed that 88% of respondents supported if Toyota announced a reduction in their absolute emissions. Your recent promotion of biofuel vehicles at the world’s climate summit COP30 – in the heart of the Amazon – is a false solution that risks worsening global hunger, increasing deforestation and carbon emissions, and undermining global climate efforts.

We urge Toyota to: 

1. Cut your absolute GHG emissions for all Scope 1,2,3 to align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement.
   1. Toyota’s current climate goals of reducing the emission intensity of light-duty vehicles by 33.3% by 2030 from 2019 levels are not aligned with the IPCC 1.5°C scenario. You must commit to the phase-out of internal combustion engines for light-duty vehicles.
   2. Availability of affordable electric vehicles must dramatically increase in all markets, including emerging economies.
   3. Stop misleadingly calling gas-powered hybrids electrified.
       
2. Stop lobbying against vehicle pollution standards and climate-saving policies.
   1. Toyota’s role as the most aggressive anti-climate lobbyist in the auto industry, undermines the green reputation that Toyota established since introducing the Prius.
       
3. Stop funding anti-climate lawmakers.
   1. Toyota has become the largest automotive donor to climate deniers in the U.S. Congress, including significant donations to the inauguration of President Trump, who calls climate change a hoax. If Toyota is serious about addressing climate change, it must cease funding politicians who work to exacerbate it and who deny that it even exists.
       
4. Stop greenwashing hydrogen and biofuel cars, which derails from the critical shift towards electrification

We request a written response or a public statement by 15th December, 2025.  

Sincerely,

Afrewatch/Afrewatch International

Center for Biological Diversity

Costa Rican Electric Mobility Association

Electromovilidad Asociación Mexico

GreenLatinos

Greenpeace East Asia

Industrious Labs

Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP)

Mighty Earth 

League of Conservation Voters (LCV)

Native Sun Community Development

Public Citizen

Rainforest Foundation Norway

Sierra Club

SteelWatch

The YEARS Project