Posted on 02/07/2007 7:58:13 PM PST by blam
EU backtracks on CO2 targets for cleaner cars
By Bruno Waterfield in Brussels and Charles Clover
Last Updated: 1:50am GMT 08/02/2007
The European Union was accused yesterday of failing its first test on climate change less than a week after UN scientists warned that urgent action was needed to fight global warming.
The European Commission said it was watering down plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from cars in the face of intense pressure from car manufacturers.
They have claimed the move would damage Europe's economy and force car manufacture overseas.
Environmental groups said the concession in the plans, aimed at cutting CO2 emissions from new cars by 18 per cent over five years, represented a victory for brutal economic arguments over environmental aspirations.
Despite the concession, car makers described the measures as "arbitrary and too severe" and said they would continue to fight them.
The Commission now plans to set a CO2 emission ceiling of 130 grams per kilometre for all new cars by 2012.
The average for cars sold in 2005 was 162 g/km.
The target is a step back from earlier proposals for a 120 g/km ceiling. But the Commission said Europe could still hit its 120 g/km target by 2012 because an extra 10 g/km would be saved through "complimentary measures", understood to mean the use of biofuels and more economical tyres.
The Commission says legislation is necessary because the industry has effectively failed to meet a voluntary 25 per cent reduction target for 2008.
But manufacturers blame European leaders for ducking their part of the bargain — to provide incentives for consumers to buy cleaner, smaller cars.
One car that currently comes closest to the Commission's target is the Fiat Panda 1.2 which achieves 127 g/km. That gives an indication of the investment in new technology that will be needed to make cars lighter and more efficient and to get more power out of smaller engines.
Jos Dings, of the European Federation for Transport and Environment, said: "The Commission has proposed to weaken an 11-year-old climate target for new cars just five days after the global scientific community warned policymakers to take serious and urgent action on climate change."
Christopher Macgowan, of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "We have brought to market cars that can meet the 120 g/km limit — the problem is that motorists do not buy them."
LMAO.
"UN scientists" ... that's about as oxymoronic a phrase as "Microsoft Works".
Well, then, they should be forced to buy them. Imagine the gall, thinking they can do what they like rather than WHAT we think is good for them!
LOL, the EU HATES the US for not signing Kyoto, but those clowns can't even meet requirements which for them would have been much easier to meet than ours. And Chirac was just babbling on about how France/EU would put a carbn tax on US products. What a bunch of assclowns.
There isn't enough taxpayer money to provide incentives to buy these POS's. Instead, government will implement penalties for not buying them such as huge carbon taxes on gasoline, taxes for car mileage above a "socially responsible" level, punitive taxes on large vehicles, and exorbitant parking fees for the currently free space in your company's parking lot. It's the end of the line for SUVs and small trucks as well as our liberty!
That was the intended consequence to inflict upon the U.S. economy. We took the time to analyze the treaty and decided not to sign it. The Euroweenies signed it like typical socialist lemmings. Is there some entity with the ability to force them to comply with the treaty as signed? I'm sure they would be piling on the U.S. if we signed it and decided we didn't want to take the economic hit.
plug in hybrids are the only way to achieve big reductions in auto emissions - with the electricty generated from nuclear power plants.
Is the EU prepared to stand before the wrath of Sir Albertus Gore-us?
Europe never intended to abide by Kyoto. Their plan was to trade carbon "credits" and rig the carbon quotas such that the U.S. sent large sums of money to Africa to buy said carbon "credits," whereas the EU was going to trade access to EU markets and other intangibles in exchange for those same carbon credits.
...but no one was going to actually reduce carbon emissions. You were just supposed to buy carbon credits for as much CO2 as you emitted.
It was, and is, a tax on air. CO2 is what we exhale, after all.
...and that's the enternal goal of socialists...tio tax everything, even the air we breathe.
The military intelligence unit of the Christian militia is conducting dry runs. Colonel Panic and Major Malfunction will be escorting Private Parts for a lunch featuring giant shrimp.
I don't see any Turbo-Diesels on that list, while Euros are buying 50% Diesels. What's up wid dat?
Well, I guess that President Oprah...I mean Obama...will just buy all those crappy cars and force us dumb voters to buy them at a special "discount."
Amen.
I remember how outraged we were when 'filling-stations' started charging for air, lol.
Nope. Americans can make biodiesel at home. Trucks and SUVs are therfor safe, but they may not be gasoline-powered in the future.
No way. CAFE laws will virtually outlaw SUVs and light trucks for consumers. Maybe you'll be able to buy an SUV, but they'll tack $20k in "carbon footprint taxes" on it, production will plummet to a few thousand a year and the automakers will cancel them. It doesn't matter if we make our own biodiesel or not.
Way. Worst case just means that individuals will build their own kit cars.
Biodiesel + kit car = government is outflanked.
If government challenges kit cars, then they'll just be titled with old, legal vehicle titles. They may even have to look like those old cars.
Faced with the above, government will relent. Especially when the ballot box is factored in.
LOL! I think you're in for some Corporal Punishment!
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