News

Calendar

Last update: 23.12.2008

December 2008

European Parliament Climate Change Package

Source : greencarcongress.com

The European Parliament this past week approved the EU’s climate change package intended to achieve a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency, and a 20% share for renewables in the EU energy mix by 2020. Included in that package is the regulation setting CO2 emissions performance standards for new cars registered in the EU (based on the compromise worked out earlier, earlier post) as well as a revised fuel quality directive that incorporates a low carbon fuel standard. The compromise backs the European Commission’s proposed target of an average of 120 g of CO2/km for the whole car industry by 2012, compared to the current levels of 160g/km. The regulation sets an average target of 130 g CO2/km for new passenger cars (category M1) to be reached by improvements in vehicle motor technology. It will be supplemented by additional measures to achieve a further 10 g/km reduction, so as to reach the 120g/km target, through other technical improvements. The compromise introduces a long term target for 2020 for the new car fleet of average emissions of 95 g CO2/km.