Enso commits to fully decarbonized tyres by 2030, challenges tyre industry to phase-out fossil fuels

In the midst of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, UAE, Enso called on COP28 leaders to phase out fossil fuels, and for a complete decarbonization of the global tyre industry. During Transport Day at COP28, Enso said it will phase out fossil fuels in the industry by decarbonizing its entire supply chain by 2030 – a figure the company claims is “two decades ahead of mainstream tyre manufacturers”. Enso also suggested the tyre industry is not addressing…problems [such as particulate emissions and microplastics] quickly enough.

That’s why, for its part, Enso found Gunnlaugur Erlendsson made his announcement during a BloombergNEF panel at COP28 on 6 December in which he said his firm will switch entirely to renewable, recyclable, bio-based and low carbon raw materials, to completely phase out all fossil fuel based materials from its products, by 2030.

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, who is founder and CEO of Enso, said:  “We all know that Earth is facing a climate crisis. The science is clear and Enso’s mission is clear. We are committed to decarbonizing our entire supply chain by 2030. We call on the tire industry and our partners to rise to this challenge. If we can do it, so can you. Equally, we call upon all our global and industry leaders at COP28 to show courage here in Dubai and agree to phase-out fossil-fuels.

“Any industry that deploys road-based transport anywhere its supply chain now has a clear responsibility to acknowledge and tackle the carbon footprint of their extensive operations. Unless the entire tire industry rapidly also accelerates its decarbonization efforts, it will be lagging in the drive towards a more sustainable future.”

More specifically, Enso plans to manufacture its EV tyres at “a brand-new carbon-neutral tyre factory”, to produce “safer, more durable, more energy efficient and more affordable tyres, with 100 per cent renewable energy”. Up till now, Enso has produced its tyres at the Iris factory in North Africa. Either that factory is fulfilling the above criteria or Enso is striking a deal with another factory.

Enso was a 2023 Finalist of The Earthshot Prize in the Clean Our Air category.