Merkel and the car industry fought the rather small scale plans and they got the target down by 10g but there will be compulsory targets! From the Guardian.
Quote:
Car industry to be forced to cut emissions
A compromise deal on forcing car makers to cut exhaust pollution will be approved by the European commission in Brussels today.
Manufacturers have failed to meet existing voluntary targets for reducing CO2 emissions, so the commission will announce legally binding limits - however these are unlikely to be as tough as the EU environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, originally demanded.
The plan to set compulsory limits on CO2 emissions had looked set to be scuppered by European car industry protests last week, but the IPCC's dramatic report on the fate of the planet has put political pressure on Brussels to take the lead and stick to its plans.
The need for action first arose last year when it became clear that carmakers were nowhere near reaching a voluntary target to reduce average CO2 emissions from new cars to 140g per kilometre by 2008, and to 120g by 2012.
Even those goals were weaker than were set 10 years ago by EU environment ministers, who wanted a 120g maximum for new cars sold in Europe by 2005, or 2010 at the latest.
Now the compromise on the cards is to set emission limits at a compulsory level of 130g per kilometre by 2012.
Long way short
Friends of the Earth transport campaigner Tony Bosworth blamed car industry lobbying for the lower target.
"Car manufacturers are failing to take climate change seriously and are a long way short of meeting their voluntary target for cutting emissions from new cars," he said.
"We welcome the commission's recognition that we need legislation to make car manufacturers play a full part in tackling climate change, but it appears that the commission is going to water down its long-agreed target, which is deeply disappointing.
"Climate change is the biggest threat the planet faces. The EU must show it is serious about cutting emissions by setting the motor industry tough targets to build and sell greener cars."
Mr Bosworth urged the British government to put climate change at the heart of the next budget - including financial incentives for consumers to buy greener cars.
The commission's compromise involves trying to make extra CO2 emission cuts down to a maximum 120g per kilometre by stepping up the use of biofuels, finding greater fuel efficiency and promoting smoother driving techniques.
That could mean a 25% reduction in overall car emissions by 2012.
Dramatic increases
Aat Peterse of the green group Transport and Environment said car makers should not be let off lightly.
"Now they have failed to do the job they agreed to do, it makes no sense to let them off the hook," he said .
The organisation says transport is the only European sector which has shown dramatic increases in CO2 emissions over the last 15 years.
The car industry had made huge improvements in engine efficiency - but the power, size and weight of cars had risen rapidly.
As a result, average CO2 emissions had fallen by just 23g per kilometre from the 1995 level of 185g per kilometre.
Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies said the commission's decision was a crucial test of its commitment to tackle climate change.
"Behind the scenes commissioners have been fighting like rats in a bag, with motor industry lobbyists doing their very best to prevent the adoption of tough targets for CO2 reductions," he said.
"But last week's frightening environment report has changed the ground rules. The test for the commission is whether it will make clear its determination to meet the challenge of climate change, or back down in the face of business pressure."
-------------
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium.
Malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium.
