Brussels, 16/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - Road transport being at the source of over 20% of total CO2 emissions in the EU, with more than half coming from private cars, Stavros Dimas would favour the imposition of carbon limits on car manufacturers, who, according to 2005 figures, will not reach their voluntary targets by 2008-2009. As part of a revised strategy which the Commission is due to adopt on 24 January, the Environment Commissioner will support the option which will put in place bonding legislation to force manufacturers to reduce the average CO2 emissions of new vehicles to 120 grammes per kilometre by 2012.
The current private car CO2 reduction strategy rests on three pillars. The first is the voluntary commitment by the European, Japanese and South Korean car industries to lower the average emissions from new vehicles to 140 grammes per kilometre by 2008-2009. This is a 25% reduction on 1995 levels. According to 2005 figures, the European average is somewhere between 160 and 170 grammes per kilometre, a reduction of only 12.4%. Information for consumers on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of vehicles and tax measures to encourage consumers to buy fuel-economic vehicles are the second and third pillars.
Given manufacturers' failure to meet the set target, Mr Dimas wants to adopt tough measures in the fight against climate change. While still giving his point of view on the other possibilities, a source close to the matter says he will argue for binding legislation imposing a norm of 120 grammes per kilometre by 2012.
Before being adopted by the Commission, the Environment Commissioner's revised strategy will be examined by his fellow Commissioners. Discussions are expected to be lively, with some, like Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen, worried about the effect in the competitiveness of the European industry, and those who want tough measures to reduce the EU's dependence on fossil fuels. Rather than new binding legislation which would put pressure on car manufacturers and could lead to dangerous price increases for the car industry, Mr Verheugen would prefer an integrated approach in line with the conclusions of the CARS 21 working group (se EUROPE 9087): instead of measuring only CO2 emissions from the exhaust pipe of cars, other parameters could be included, such as drivers' style of driving, tyre pressure, proportion of biofuels used and the efforts of public powers to get rid of traffic jams on infrastructure. (eh)