WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2005 - The World Wildlife Fund and the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions have announced that IBM, a participant in their Climate Savers program, has surpassed its reduction target and avoided more than 1.28 million tons of CO2 emissions since the company joined the program in 1998, saving $115 million in reduced energy costs.

Having already achieved an estimated 20% reduction in global CO2 emissions through energy conservation efforts from 1990 to 1997, IBM further reduced the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the company's annual energy use by the equivalent of an average of 5.7% from 1998 to 2004, exceeding its Climate Savers commitment of a 4% average annual reduction. This achievement is the result of energy conservation efforts and the use of renewable energy sources alone, and does not reflect additional CO2 emissions savings from consolidations and restructuring. Savings from IBM's efforts since 1998 equal taking 51,600 midsize cars that travel 10,000 miles per year off the road. Energy was conserved through simple efforts as well as more complex initiatives.

Examples of the projects implemented ranged from installing motion detectors in bathrooms and copier rooms and changing temperature set points in office areas to rebalancing heating and cooling systems and rebuilding and resizing high purity water pumping systems in semiconductor manufacturing lines. IBM also updated its former headquarters building in New York State to meet Energy Star building criteria; its new headquarters building in Zurich-Alstetten, Switzerland received the "Minergie' label for building energy efficiency; and the company has relied primarily on renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass in the U.K.

"While some assume that cutting CO2 emissions costs businesses money, we have found just the opposite. Addressing climate change makes business sense," said Wayne Balta, vice president for corporate environmental affairs and product safety at IBM. "We have saved more than one hundred million dollars since 1998 by conserving energy. When you consider the significant environmental benefits also achieved, cutting emissions is a win-win proposition."

WWF estimates that by 2010, Climate Savers companies will collectively reduce carbon pollution by some 9 million tons annually, approximately the amount generated by 2 million cars or 800,000 houses each year.