BEIJING, May 10 -- General Motors may be only the first major auto maker to join a coalition that wants to reduce greenhouse gases tied to global warming.

    General Motors Corp on Tuesday joined the United States Climate Action Partnership, along with 13 other newcomers that included Dow Chemical Co and PepsiCo Inc.

    The partnership, which now has 27 members, is an alliance of big business and environmental groups that in January told President George W. Bush that mandatory emissions caps are needed to reduce the flow of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

    At Ford Motor Co, spokesman Mike Moran said the auto maker was "strongly considering" joining the organization. DaimlerChrysler AG also said it was interested.

    "We think the time is right to advance this debate," said Chrysler Group spokesman Colin McBean.

    In addition, spokeswomen for Toyota Motor Corp and Nissan Motor Co also confirmed that their companies are discussing membership. Toyota has not made a decision, and the Nissan spokeswoman did not know the status of the talks. A Honda spokesman said it is involved in similar groups but not this one.

    "GM is very pleased to join USCAP to proactively address the concerns posed by climate change and applauds its members for recognizing the important role that technology can play in achieving an economy-wide solution," GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement.

    In testimony before Congress in March, Wagoner said the time had arrived for auto makers to develop a "comprehensive and forward-looking national strategy" aimed at reducing oil consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

    "A central element as we see it is energy diversity, being able to offer consumers vehicles that can be powered by many different energy sources and advanced propulsion systems to help displace petroleum and reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Wagoner said in the statement.

    The company's move was both applauded and criticized by environmental groups. Several said joining the partnership was a big step, but they questioned whether the nation's largest automaker would take action beyond joining the group.

    "GM has been slow to the party, but I don't think it takes away from the fact that today (Tuesday) they are getting on board," said Kevin Knobloch, president of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

    Still, he said it is only the first step. As a producer of a product that has a proven negative effect on the environment, he said subsequent steps must include development of more fuel-efficient vehicles.

    "I think GM is trying to hide behind their participation and pretend they are behind reducing global warming," said Dan Becker, director of Sierra Club's global warming program. "It's better than deepening global warming, which GM has as a brand, but it isn't going to save a gram of carbon because they are not cleaning up the vehicles," he said.

    GM is marketing flex-fuel vehicles and is about to begin selling a hybrid gas-electric powertrain that makes its pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles more efficient.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)