Having had a go at Labour in my last post I don't want people to think the other lot are all wonderful - here is an exposure of Liberal and Tory MEPs -the European Parliament is voting today on a report outlining how it believes emissions reductions from cars should be achieved and what limit values should be proposed, with a view to influencing forthcoming legislation.Copyrighted photo reprinted here with permission of Seattle-based photographer Chris Jordan. See more photos.
UK Tory and Liberal MEPs have proposed an amendment to set weaker emissions limits for carmakers and to postpone the introduction of these limit values by a further three years, despite the urgent need for action. Basically they want to allow carmakers to produce dirtier cars and to delay the introduction of urgently needed emissions limits - this will scupper EU efforts to combat climate change.
An independent study, presented by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament last week, showed that only by introducing strict limit values for passenger cars as soon as possible will the sector be able to contribute sufficiently to enable the EU to meet an overall CO2 reduction target of 20% by 2020. The study showed that an average CO2 emissions limit value of 120 g/km must be introduced by 2012 if cars are to contribute their share towards the EU's overall emissions reductions and that stricter limit values for 2020 will also be necessary. In order to meet the 30% reduction, which scientists say is absolutely vital from industrialised countries to tackle climate change, significant measures not only to reduce vehicles emissions but also to reduce the amount of car travel are necessary.
Caroline Lucas MEP Comments: "The EU must make these deep cuts in its CO2 emissions if we are to try and keep climate change in check. Letting those sectors that are the worst performers off the hook, by allowing them to delay urgently needed emissions cuts, would make a mockery of the EU's climate strategy. The European Parliament has consistently called for strong measures to tackle climate change and we hope they will continue to do so and reject the Tory-Liberal proposal."
3 comments:
It would be nice to see some legislation that helps to encourage car manufacturers move away from oil as the primary source of fuel for transport.
A reductions in emissions is great but if demand for cars continue to increase then you just end up back where you started.
To anyone that is aware of peak oil then it is quite obvious that we need to urgently change how we travel. In a nut shell this has to be forms of travel that doesn't rely on oil.
Looking at the alternatives electric powered travel looks to be the most realistic and affordable. It is very doubtful that Hydrogen or Biofuels will be able to get anywhere near replacing oil in the long term.
Unfortunately keeping the status quo is the most easiest and profitable option at the moment for big business.
The pain comes down the line when our existing transport system starts falling apart due to the high cost of oil and because there simply isn't enough of it to go around.
Certainly interesting times ahead. I wonder how bad things have to get before we actually see some alternatives or will it be a case of too little too late.
Invest and invest more and invest more and more in public transport
Take the train and spend a lot of money to travel 100 miles in three hours - the reality of gross under-funding of the railways here in Holland and Belgium. You could get around the country quicker 90 years ago than you can now.
Anyway, back to you rpoint, Philip, it is quite disturbing when our directly elected representatives in the European Parliament have voted down the already-watered-down proposals from the European Commission.
Again we see politicians listening to business and lobby groups more than their own electorate.
So much for pluralism and real democracy.
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