The major European city and region networks, Eurocities, C40 Cities, Polis and Iclei, have called on the members of the European Parliament not to further weaken the target of a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions from cars by 2035, in a letter sent on Friday 6 February, ahead of the Coordinators’ meeting of the transport (TRAN) and environment (ENVI) committees to be held on Wednesday 11 February.
“This is essential to meet our binding climate obligations under the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement”, the signatories said. Any dilution of the 90% threshold, as proposed by the European Commission in its ‘automotive package’ (see EUROPE 13708/2, 13773/9), would, they argue, “erode the science-based transition signal cities and regions need to continue investing in zero-emission mobility”. They are concerned that a mid-term change to the rules would waste public investment and weaken trust between local authorities and the EU.
They also reject any provision allowing pure combustion engine vehicles to remain on the market.
To read the letter: https://aeur.eu/f/knw (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)