xcel
09-06-2006, 02:14 AM
CO2 emissions fall with new cars in Europe, but commission urges stepped up efforts. (http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=18237)
Red Herring - August 29, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2006_Honda_Civic_Hybrid.jpg
Cars like the Honda’s Civic Hybrid reduce emissions to zero when using the electrical engine.
Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars sold in the European Union have decreased by 12 percent since 1995, said the European Commission on Tuesday.
The annual report on carbon dioxide emissions published by the European Commission noted that emissions from new cars within the EU-15, the first 15 member states including Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have decreased even further.
The report was positive regarding the decrease, but strongly urged car manufacturers to make major additional efforts to meet their agreements with the E.U. to cut average carbon dioxide emissions to 120 grams per kilometer (g/km) in the next four years, a reduction of about 25 percent from 1995 levels.
“We said over and over again if targets are not met for 2008 and 2009, then we will have to take measures, including legislative—which could be anything including saying new cars cannot be brought into the European market that do not meet target emissions,” Barbara Helfferich, spokesperson for the environment at the European Commission, told RedHerring.com.
“We feel it is now possible with the kind of technology in place today, to meet those targets,” she added.
The targets were established in 1999 with voluntary agreements from European, Korean, and Japanese car manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Fiat, Honda, and Hyundai.
The agreement stated that new passenger cars from European manufacturers must emit no more than 140g/km of carbon dioxide by 2008, while Japanese and Korean manufacturers have another year to meet the deadline.
By 2010, all manufacturers must reach 120g/km emissions for all new cars in the E.U. market.
To reach the targeted emissions, Ms. Helfferich said, the manufacturers would have to reduce emissions yearly by 3.3 percent. In 2003, the difference from the previous year was a reduction of 1.2 percent, less than half the reduction needed.
The targets are part of the E.U.’s efforts to reach its goal as a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, a United Nations agreement with 164 nations to cut carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse pollution gases by 5.2 percent from 1990.
Biggest Culprit
The United States, the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol agreement.
One technology being used to cut carbon dioxide emissions is the production of hybrid cars that run on an electric engine and gasoline engine. Cars like Toyota’s Prius or Honda’s Civic Hybrid reduce emissions to zero when using the electrical engine.
Electric vehicles generate about 80 percent less in greenhouse gas emissions and use a fourth of the amount of energy and gas as conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Another area of interest in reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the use of fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells turn oxygen and hydrogen fuel into electricity that can power an automobile engine. The only by-products are heat and water.
Honda displayed its FCX fuel cell car at last year’s International Motor Show in Geneva. The car is powered by an electric motor that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its energy source.
Volkswagen has created a gasoline and natural gasoline-running car called Golf Bifuel. And Lexus created the first sports utility vehicle hybrid, shown off at the same show last year. The use of diesel engines, a fad in Europe to date, is yet another way of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Whatever way the manufacturers choose, the European Commission is stressing they need to get it done, and fast.
“As legislators, we make laws, and a law could hypothetically be that if these cars have more than these emissions targets allow, the only cars allowed on the market will be those that have met the targets and that’s it,” said Ms. Helfferich.
Red Herring - August 29, 2006
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2006_Honda_Civic_Hybrid.jpg
Cars like the Honda’s Civic Hybrid reduce emissions to zero when using the electrical engine.
Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars sold in the European Union have decreased by 12 percent since 1995, said the European Commission on Tuesday.
The annual report on carbon dioxide emissions published by the European Commission noted that emissions from new cars within the EU-15, the first 15 member states including Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have decreased even further.
The report was positive regarding the decrease, but strongly urged car manufacturers to make major additional efforts to meet their agreements with the E.U. to cut average carbon dioxide emissions to 120 grams per kilometer (g/km) in the next four years, a reduction of about 25 percent from 1995 levels.
“We said over and over again if targets are not met for 2008 and 2009, then we will have to take measures, including legislative—which could be anything including saying new cars cannot be brought into the European market that do not meet target emissions,” Barbara Helfferich, spokesperson for the environment at the European Commission, told RedHerring.com.
“We feel it is now possible with the kind of technology in place today, to meet those targets,” she added.
The targets were established in 1999 with voluntary agreements from European, Korean, and Japanese car manufacturers, including Audi, BMW, Fiat, Honda, and Hyundai.
The agreement stated that new passenger cars from European manufacturers must emit no more than 140g/km of carbon dioxide by 2008, while Japanese and Korean manufacturers have another year to meet the deadline.
By 2010, all manufacturers must reach 120g/km emissions for all new cars in the E.U. market.
To reach the targeted emissions, Ms. Helfferich said, the manufacturers would have to reduce emissions yearly by 3.3 percent. In 2003, the difference from the previous year was a reduction of 1.2 percent, less than half the reduction needed.
The targets are part of the E.U.’s efforts to reach its goal as a signatory of the Kyoto Protocol, a United Nations agreement with 164 nations to cut carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse pollution gases by 5.2 percent from 1990.
Biggest Culprit
The United States, the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol agreement.
One technology being used to cut carbon dioxide emissions is the production of hybrid cars that run on an electric engine and gasoline engine. Cars like Toyota’s Prius or Honda’s Civic Hybrid reduce emissions to zero when using the electrical engine.
Electric vehicles generate about 80 percent less in greenhouse gas emissions and use a fourth of the amount of energy and gas as conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Another area of interest in reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the use of fuel cells. Hydrogen fuel cells turn oxygen and hydrogen fuel into electricity that can power an automobile engine. The only by-products are heat and water.
Honda displayed its FCX fuel cell car at last year’s International Motor Show in Geneva. The car is powered by an electric motor that uses a hydrogen fuel cell as its energy source.
Volkswagen has created a gasoline and natural gasoline-running car called Golf Bifuel. And Lexus created the first sports utility vehicle hybrid, shown off at the same show last year. The use of diesel engines, a fad in Europe to date, is yet another way of reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Whatever way the manufacturers choose, the European Commission is stressing they need to get it done, and fast.
“As legislators, we make laws, and a law could hypothetically be that if these cars have more than these emissions targets allow, the only cars allowed on the market will be those that have met the targets and that’s it,” said Ms. Helfferich.