In the context of the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI) vote on a Commission proposal [COM (2011) 856] for a Regulation on the sound levels of motor vehicles, this new study from TNO, independent experts that advise the Commission on both noise and CO2 regulations, shows that synergies between making cars more fuel efficient and quieter outweigh any conflict generated.
To the question ‘does further noise reduction on road vehicles conflict with reducing CO2 emissions?’, the answer is clearly no, the report says, based both on technical considerations and on-going development of engine and noise reduction technology.
Europe must stand firm over its future targets for carmakers as it cannot afford to fall further behind China.
The decision to create a Europe-wide carbon price was right but creates significant political risk. The good news is it can still be fixed.
It's about time the EU requires parts of key products to be made locally – and nowhere is this more urgent than in the battery sector.