Brussels, 14/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars should be capped at an average of 120 g/km from 2012, said Miroslav Ouzky (EPP-ED, Czech Republic) on behalf of the European Parliament environment committee. Speaking in Brussels on 12 September, MEPs gave their views on the revised strategy proposed in February for reduction of emissions from new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. They welcomed the Commission's plan to propose binding legislation in this field so that car manufacturers finally achieve what they failed to achieve through a voluntary agreement.
Even though “the technology is there to make a significant difference in a short period of time”, the industry is struggling to reduce CO2 emissions, Chris Davies (ALDE, UK) had stressed before the vote. Given that this is the case, and given the imperatives of combating climate change, the members of the parliamentary committee believe that binding legislation is indeed necessary if the EU wants to meet the goal it has set itself of reducing total CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 compared to 1990 levels.
However, as the environment committee sees it, 120 g/km in 2012 is only an average target in the short term for the European fleet, to be reached by engine technology alone, whereas the European Commission had fixed the goal of 130 g/km to be reached by makers, with the extra 10 g reduction being achieved by other means, such as the addition of biofuels in petrol, better tyres, and innovation in air conditioning systems.
The environment committee believes there should be a longer-term target so that, as of 2020, average emissions do not exceed 95 g CO2/km, with long-term targets being determined by no later than 2016 to bring emissions reductions down to 70 g CO2/km or less by 2025. The European Commission simply gave a vague indication of a 95 g/km target by 2020, which would not be binding.
Exemptions would, however, be foreseen. MEPS acknowledge that some specialised manufacturers may find it difficult to reduce average emissions due to the limited range of cars that come off their production lines. They therefore stress that it is important to allow some specialised vehicles to exceed emission limits to avoid excessive disruptions to the car market.
The parliamentary committee proposes that a “Carbon Allowance Reductions System” (CARS) should be introduced by 2013, under which carmakers would have to pay penalties for exceeding the emission limits. Such penalties may be offset by redeemable credits awarded to newly-registered passenger cars from the same manufacturer, with emissions below the limit values.
MEPs expressed the hope that information on the CO2 reduction performance of cars would be readily available to the public.
The Davies report, as adopted by the environment committee, will be presented during the plenary session of the European Parliament in November.
The European Commission's legislative proposal is expected end December “or early 2008”, said Barbara Helfferich, Spokeswoman for Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas. (an)