The European Union has proposed to almost double the proportion of biofuels used in transport but has no idea how much this will actually reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Meanwhile Governor Schwarzenegger yesterday announced an innovative plan to cut CO2 emissions from the production and use of all fuels used for cars by 10% in the state of California.
European Commission plans to integrate air transport into the EU emissions trading system are too weak to substantially reduce the climate impact of the sector according to T&E, a network of sustainable transport groups. T&E calculates that the effect of the proposed system will be to reduce aviation emissions by just 3% which is equivalent to less than one year's growth of the sector's emissions (1). To be effective, the scheme must be accompanied by additional measures applied to all other sectors such as a tax on fuel and VAT on tickets.
The European Parliament has voted on new vehicle emissions standards (Euro 5 /6) in a compromise deal with ministers that allows makers of gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles (SUVs) an extra three years to comply.
The EU should make more efficient use of existing transport infrastructure and overhaul the way it decides what infrastructure projects to invest in to make the process fully transparent and economically sound according to T&E Director Jos Dings speaking at today's high-level European Commission conference on the future of rail.
Jos Dings, director of T&E, writes in today's Financial Times:
The International Air Transport Association's response to the European Union's proposed inclusion of aviation in its emissions trading system (report, November 16) shows the industry's continued understatement of the problem and a misunderstanding about the role of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
The Chairman of the EuroNCAP new car safety organisation has said safety improvements are not reponsible for the failure of carmakers to cut CO2 emissions. See European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) press release (pdf).
Oslo, Norway. Environmental groups allied with Friends of the Earth International are pressing for ships to abandon dirty bunker fuels and cut engine emissions by 70 to 90 percent using current pollution controls during international negotiations November 13 to 17 being led by the United States.
An advertising campaign launched today by T&E highlights the failure by most major car brands to cut CO2 emissions from new vehicles at the rate needed to meet the target of a commitment they made to the EU in 1998.
Three-quarters of the 20 major car brands sold in Europe last year have failed to improve fuel efficiency at the rate needed to meet a key EU climate target, new figures show. Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest car brand in terms of sales, has improved fuel efficiency at less than half the rate needed. In contrast, Renault, Europe’s second biggest brand and a direct competitor of VW, is on track to meet the target for the average new car sold to emit 140 grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometre by 2008. Renault reduced its emissions by twice as much as VW.
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Download the T&E report (pdf): How Clean is Your Car Brand? (english only)
Download selected media coverage (2.5mb pdf)
Mercedes-Benz has this week launched its E320 BlueTec model for sale in America. The car is the first of a new-generation of diesels that meet strict new American emissions standards and would also meet proposed European emissions standards that the European Parliament has said shouldn’t come into force before 2015.