Lower Emissions Plan Fuels Anger
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday February 9, 2007
EUROPEAN car makers will be forced to cut carbon dioxide emissions in all new cars, under a proposal by the European Commission.
The plan, which faces strong opposition from the car industry, aims to cut emissions in new cars sold or imported into the European Union by 18 per cent, to about 130 grams of carbon dioxide a kilometre, by 2012.Lower European limits could see the Australian car industry fall behind in the the fight against global warming. Only a handful of cars now on the Australian market would meet the proposed limit. These include the hybrid Toyota Prius, at 106 grams a kilometre, which yesterday won a green vehicle award at the Brisbane Motor Show; the Fiat Punto diesel 1.3 litre, at 122 grams; and the Honda Civic Hybrid.Average car emissions in Europe are 162 grams. Australia's highest-selling car last year, the Holden Commodore, has an emission rate of 260 grams a kilometre.In November the Federal Government gave Holden a grant to improve the Commodore's design and fuel efficiency. Australia's car exports have grown from 7 per cent of all cars in 1990 to 38 per cent in 2005.The chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Peter Sturrock, described the European plan as "unrealistic and impractical". "The draconian limits suggested by the EU are totally impractical from a commercial viewpoint and have been rejected by European car makers because of that," he said. "In Australia we have had significant improvements in fuel consumption and cleaner emission by 18 per cent throughout the decade and it's all through improved technology."
© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald
