Nov. 27, 2008
The Transport and Environment group (T&E), having been granted access to documents concerning carbon dioxide emissions of new cars sold in the European Union, published its findings in September. The T&E analysis was based on sales figures used by the European Commission to compile its own reports on the car industry's progress towards meeting a voluntary CO2 emissions target of 140 grams per kilometre by 2008/9. Prior to the study, the most recent official commission provided data up through 2004.
European carmakers, according to the study, accounted for 81 percent of total EU sales last year, but cut emissions by just 0.2 percent, for an average of 160g/km.
Based on the evidence, T&E campaigners argue that carmakers will almost certainly miss a voluntary industry target of 140g/km. Manufacturers would have to reduce CO2 emissions by 5 to 6 percent annually over the next two or three years, which far exceeds the reduction rate of previous years. If T&E's predictions hold true, the European car industry will shoot wide of its 2008 target by approximately 15g/km.
ACEA, the European carmakers' association, declined comment on specific T&E figures, but ACEA spokeswoman Sigrid de Vries told ENDS that "counterproductive" safety and air quality regulations prevented the industry from being able to achieve more significant cuts in CO2 emissions, claiming that such requirements actually increased emissions by 13g/km.
