Chelmsford's Lib Dem MEP backs action on pollution cuts

11.25.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 30th Sep 2008

Lib Dem MEP Sharon Bowles backs pollution cuts for new cars

Euro MPs have backed tough emission standards for new passenger cars. Chelmsford's Lib Dem MEP Andrew Duff has welcomed the new measures, pushed through with the votes of Liberal & Democrat MEPs.

Lib Dem environment spokesperson Chris Davies (MEP for North West England) said, "This was a good day for democracy. Members of the Environment Committee voted to strengthen the original Commission proposal. This was despite an enormous lobby from the car industry to relax CO2 emission standards for new cars, and a shabby deal negotiated at the highest level between the Socialists group (PSE) and the conservatives (EPP)."

Mr Davies added: "The lobby from the car industry lost. MEPs stood up for tougher measures to combat global warming and sent a strong message to corporate lobbyists to back off.

"The package is weaker than the Parliament proposed last year but very much better than might have been expected given the amount of arm twisting and political threats that has taken place. The deal struck between the conservatives and socialists to weaken Commission proposals was defeated. There will be no loopholes and no reduction of the fines. Today's vote is a victory for people who believe we have to fight climate change."

"We now go into negotiations with the Council of Ministers with the aim of putting the legislation on the statute book before the end of the year."

The detailed proposals

Car manufacturers will have to limit the emissions to 130 CO2/km by 2012. MEPs also agreed to set a long term target of reducing vehicle emissions to 95g CO2/km by 2020.

The report is part of the Community's integrated approach to reduce CO2 emissions from light cars and commercial vehicles. Some 13% of all Europe's carbon emissions stem from passenger cars.

Absolute volumes of CO2 continue to rise because of the growing number of cars on the roads and a shift towards the sale of larger and more powerful vehicles, including 4WDs. The call for regulation follows the failure of European car manufacturers to meet the reductions promised in a voluntary agreement made ten years ago. Average emissions from new cars are thought at present still to be close to 160g C02/km.