Jos Dings writes in today's European Voice:

Visitors to the Brussels motor show last month could have been left with only one impression: the future is electric. As your special report on the future of cars noted (14-20 January), virtually every manufacturer exhibited a car powered by batteries.

Feb 04, 2010 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy

T&E together with EEB and AirClim have written to the European Commissioners-designate for environment and climate to highlight the need to combat air pollution from shipping in Europe.

Jan 19, 2010 | Air Pollution | Shipping

A new study on aviation says the pace of improvements in aircraft energy efficiency is very slow, and no progress has been made in the last decade. It calls for a carbon dioxide emissions standard for aircraft already in production.

Dec 16, 2009 | Aviation | Fuels | T&E Bulletin | Climate Change & Energy

A new report suggests airlines could make large windfall profits from aviation joining the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in 2012, if airlines charge customers for emission allowances they are given free-of-charge.

Dec 16, 2009 | Air Pollution | Aviation | Pricing & Taxation | T&E Bulletin | Climate Change & Energy

A new study has said introducing a charge on nitrogen oxides emissions could cut around 270 000 tonnes of emissions from ships in the Baltic Sea in 2015, a reduction of 60% based on currently expected levels.

Dec 16, 2009 | Air Pollution | Shipping | T&E Bulletin

Norway is planning to scrap a tax exemption for biodiesel, joining a growing number of countries taking the view that users of biofuels should pay for them instead of taxpayers.

Dec 16, 2009 | Fuels | Pricing & Taxation | T&E Bulletin

Transport & Environment, together with other organisations, has criticised the decision to ask Norway and Singapore to guide informal talks on aviation/shipping emissions at Copenhagen.

Dec 15, 2009 | Aviation | Climate Change & Energy | Shipping

A deal on including aviation and shipping emissions in the Copenhagen climate agreement is being blocked by China, India, Saudi Arabia and The Bahamas (1). Failure to include the two sectors (known collectively as bunker emissions) puts at risk both a major source of climate funding for developing countries and the long term success of climate reduction targets say environmental organisations.

Dec 14, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Aviation | Press Releases | Shipping

Several European environmental NGOs have launched Cleaner Car Contracts, an initiative to mobilise Europe's largest lease companies and fleet owners to accelerate the introduction of fuel-efficient cars.

Dec 03, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Cars

The European Parliament has approved a new energy efficiency, safety and noise labelling scheme for new tyres. Transport & Environment says the label is a step forward but much will now depend on national authorities being strict on implementing the scheme.

Nov 25, 2009 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | Lorries & Road Freight | Noise | Press Releases | Vans

Europe’s first legislation to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new vans has been published by the Commission. Although a significant development, the draft regulation has the fingerprints of fierce lobbying by the automotive industry, and even the EU’s environment commissioner regretted its reduced level of ambition.

Nov 16, 2009 | Vans | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | T&E Bulletin

The worst biofuels can emit 2000% more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, while the best can genuinely cut down on emissions. Those are two conclusions of a new United Nations report, one of several papers published in the last month that reaffirm that only certain biofuels can be environmentally beneficial – and only then if produced in certain ways.

Nov 16, 2009 | Fuels | Climate Change & Energy | T&E Bulletin

Europeans wanting to know how noisy their area is can now find out at the click of a mouse.

Nov 16, 2009 | Noise | T&E Bulletin

There is a substantial risk that current EU biofuel policy will cause more harm than good, according to a new report published today by leading environmental and development organisations (1).

Nov 11, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Fuels | Press Releases

The EU risks endangering road safety and creating additional carbon dioxide emissions following calls to weaken the technical details of new EU rules for car tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). EU member state officials will meet with the European Commission on Tuesday to discuss whether to approve weaker standards backed by the global car industry with the support of some Member State governments led by Germany and current EU Presidency holder, Sweden.

Oct 19, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Cars | Press Releases

The idea that December’s Copenhagen climate change summit should set specific greenhouse gas reduction targets for aviation and shipping has made only modest progress at the latest round of UN preparatory talks held in Bangkok earlier this month.

Oct 14, 2009 | Aviation | Climate Change & Energy | Shipping | T&E Bulletin

Barely half the EU’s member states will meet the pollution reduction targets set for 2010 in the EU’s national emissions ceilings directive.

Oct 14, 2009 | Air Pollution | Cars | T&E Bulletin

The Commission is expected to act this month to close a gap in EU legislation by limiting carbon dioxide emissions from road transport. It is putting the final touches to proposals to tighten environmental standards for vans and light trucks, but the car makers’ lobby is fighting to get the proposals weakened, while environmental groups fear that some large cars could be reclassified as small trucks to allow the makers to be less strict about emissions.

Sep 11, 2009 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | Lorries & Road Freight | T&E Bulletin

The maximum carbon emissions that aircraft using EU airports will be allowed to emit from 2012 is still unclear, as the process of working out aviation’s entry into the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) has fallen a little behind schedule.

Sep 11, 2009 | Aviation | Climate Change & Energy | T&E Bulletin

The concept of indirect land-use change (ILUC) caused by biofuel production looks like playing a complicated role in the EU’s rules relating to the use of biofuels across Europe.

Sep 11, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Fuels | T&E Bulletin