Global Issues
ENVIRONMENT: So That Vans May Pollute More
Three years after vehicle-makers succeeded in weakening new European Union (EU) pollution standards for cars, many of the same firms are hoping to frustrate efforts to make vans more fuel-efficient.
Under proposed new rules being discussed in Brussels, new vans on the market would not be allowed to emit more than 135 grams of heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) per kilometre (g/km) travelled by 2020. This would be 68g/km less than the amount of the greenhouse gas an average van on Europe's roads released in 2007.
Theoretically, these measures will reduce the contribution that transport makes to climate change. Whereas CO2 emissions from most other economic sectors are falling in the EU, that from transport rose by 36 percent in the 1990-2007 period. Vans comprise about 12 percent of the Union's light-duty vehicles, with their number increasing by 50 percent between 1997 and 2007.
Despite claiming to be committed to reducing its environmental impact, the vehicle industry has mounted a vigorous campaign against the proposed new standards. Sigrid de Vries, spokeswoman for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (known by its French acronym ACEA) said that the 2020 target was 'not feasible'.
'It's very easy to portray industry as blocking everything,' she told IPS. 'Industry is not at all opposed to legislation as such. But there are certain technical limits to this type of vehicle. It is easy to say that you can meet them (the new emission targets), but at what cost?'
Green campaigners, though, consider the complaints made by industry as groundless. They say that some leading van manufacturers have already proven their ability to improve fuel efficiency when bringing new models onto the market. Volkswagen's latest range of T5 vans, for example, is 10 percent more sparing in the amount of fuel it burns up than the same vans were in 2007.
Transport and Environment (T&E) - a coalition of ecological groups - points out that vehicle-makers used similar arguments three years ago, when they convinced EU governments to weaken plans to make cars less polluting. Technological progress in the interim indicates that the arguments were misleading, according to T&E. It points out that two of the best selling cars in Europe - the Volkswagen Golf and the Ford Focus - are available in 99g/km models, indicating that there is no major obstacle to prevent firms from complying with reduction goals for cars over the coming decade.
'The car industry's lobbyists said no to car CO2 standards but the engineers proved them wrong,' T&E campaigner Kerstin Meyer said. 'They are now attacking the proposed long-term target for vans - but based on past performance that claim is not credible.'
Meyer is seeking a more ambitious target for vans - 125g/km - than that recommended by the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. She argued that poor fuel efficiency is an unnecessary drain on the finances of businesses and that measures to cut pollution make sound economic sense. 'Business spends 30 billion euros (41 billion dollars) every year on fuel for vans,' she said. 'That's money going up in smoke that could be invested in training, technology and innovation.'
Originally proposed by the Commission in October last year, the proposed new standards for vans were discussed by the EU's environment ministers Mar. 15.
During that debate several governments sought alterations to the Commission's plan to begin phasing in the emission cuts within the next few years. Under the step-by-step plan, vans would have to meet a 175 g/km target in 2016 and then reduce it further to 135g/km in 2020. Yet 75 percent of the 2016 goal would have to be met just four years from now.
Italy, Germany, Britain and Poland are pushing for the reduction timetable to begin at a later date than that wanted by the Commission. These governments - representing some of the EU's largest states - suggest that the plan would be too onerous for van-makers if implemented in its current form. Several EU governments also want an agreement that the feasibility of the 2020 goal will be subject to a formal assessment process in 2013.
Connie Hedegaard, the EU commissioner for policies related to climate change, argued nonetheless that the original blueprint was realistic. She cited estimates that each van owner would enjoy a saving of 2,000 euro over the lifetime of his or her vehicle.
Greenpeace campaigner Franziska Achterberg said: 'Shielding the European car sector from ambitious climate standards will only hinder innovation and cuddle them to death. After years of inaction, the motor industry is finally showing signs of movement on fuel efficiency. The EU needs to set high standards, not to waste this momentum.'
© Inter Press Service (2010) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service