This two page briefing examines the EU's proposal to revise vehicle noise standards, with T&E's suggestions for how they could be improved to better protect health.
The current European Union noise regulations for new or upgraded interoperable rail vehicles came into force in 2002 for high-speed rail and in 2006 for conventional traffic. These standards are known as Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI), and are adopted by Commission Decisions. A comprehensive revision of the Noise TSI is planned for 2013. A working group has been established by the European Railway Agency (ERA) who is leading the revision process, where T&E represents the views of environmental groups. This paper is intended as an input to the working group.
On 2 November, the governing body of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is scheduled to discuss a paper put forward by 26 countries calling for the adoption of a joint declaration against the inclusion of aviation emissions in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) from 2012, originally signed in New Delhi on 30 September. The background briefing explains events leading up to the declaration and links to a legal case brought by three American airlines against the EU.
This briefing addresses concerns over the impending rules that implement the Fuel Quality Directive. It shows that the extra administrative burden that FQD will impose to fuel suppliers is relatively modest and that accurate reporting on the GHG intensity of tar sands production does not imply a massive increase in reporting obligations.
This report is the sixth T&E has published on the annual progress Europe’s major car manufacturers have made in reducing CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of new cars.
BirdLife International, the European Environmental Bureau, Transport and Environment, Greenpeace and Wetlands International have written to the Commission president Barroso to urge the EC to give due consideration to the latest studies on indirect land use change from biofuels and to come up with a long overdue proposal to tackle the issue.
