Fall in average European new car emissions slows
Wed 12 September 2007
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The average emissions from new cars sold by members of the European car makers association (ACEA) fell by 0.2% in 2006, the worst performance on record, according to Transport and Environment, the Brussels-based campaign group. Overall performance (including the Japanese and Korean manufacturers) was a fall of 0.7%.
However, the figures show that the performance of new cars sold in the UK was better than the EU average. CO2 emissions improved by over 1%; falling from 169g/km to 167g/km on average.
T&E says that European carmakers are failing to deliver the lower carbon emissions they pledged in a voluntary commitment to the European Commission in 1998.
Aat Peterse, programme manager at T&E said: "In the first eight years of their voluntary commitment carmakers concentrated on bigger, heavier and more gas guzzling cars, and the results speak for themselves. Clearly, the voluntary commitment wasn't worth the paper it was written on and regulation is needed now more than ever. The EU must stick to a legally-binding target of 120g/km by 2012 and ensure that a series of long-term targets are in place leading to 80g/km by 2020."
Speaking at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA), the CEOs of the main European car manufacturers expressed the industry’s determination to further reduce CO2 emissions from cars. In a press release from ACEA, the group reinforced their call on EU governments to embrace a "cost-effective integrated approach towards cars and CO2, which would result in larger environmental gains and safeguard investments and employment in Europe".
“The EU objective to bring carbon emissions from cars down to 120 grammes per kilometre is achievable through an Integrated Approach and we fully support that route”, said Sergio Marchionne, president of ACEA and CEO of FIAT. "The key elements of such a comprehensive approach are improved car technology, infrastructure changes, a more efficient driving style, CO2-related taxation and the greater use of biofuels."
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