European car-makers in line for a carbon dioxide reprieve
In tough economic times, European Union nations concede the desirability of a three-year pushback on CO2 emissions targetsAs the auto industry suffers under the current worldwide economic downturn, European car-makers appear to be in line for a reprieve in carbon dioxide emissions rules.
Recent meetings attended by representatives of 27 European Union nations have apparently reached a consensus that would push back the current deadline, which set benchmark carbon dioxide emissions at no more than 130 grams a kilometre by 2012, to 2015.
The meetings have yielded an additional greenhouse target that would see carbon dioxide emissions reduced to 95g/km by 2020.
At present, the current average for all vehicles in European Union nations is 158g/km.
Any change in carbon dioxide targets for European-made vehicles would be unlikely to affect Australia, which currently targets CO2 emissions for all new light vehicles with a gross mass less than 3.5 tonnes at 222g/km by 2010. According to figures from the Australian Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries the estimated CO2 output in 2007 was 226.1 g/km.
In 2003 the FCAI adopted a voluntary fuel consumption target of 8.8 litres/100km by 2010 for new petrol passenger vehicles and established the 222g/km CO2 target in 2005.
Source: AFP
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