Commission confirms plans to cut car emissions

The European Commission has confirmed it will present its strategy for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from vehicles next Wednesday (7 February). The strategy is expected to propose a target for reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles to 120 grammes per kilometre driven by 2012. But the commissioners are still discussing how this should be achieved.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas wants the target to be as close to 120 g/km as possible while Enterprise Commissioner Günter Verheugen would like to set the target closer to 130g/km. The two commissioners are also divided over how to achieve the target with Dimas arguing that as much as possible of the reduction should come from carmakers through technical improvements in engine efficiency.

Verheugen is arguing for an integrated approach where the cut is achieved by carmakers, improvements in fuel combustion and other technical measures such as better tyres and better driving behaviour.

The European Commission has confirmed it will present its strategy for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from vehicles next Wednesday (7 February). The strategy is expected to propose a target for reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles to 120 grammes per kilometre driven by 2012. But the commissioners are still discussing how this should be achieved.