EU accused of hypocrisy over car pollution

The EU was accused of hypocrisy and weakness today for compromising on a car pollution crackdown just days after claiming it was taking the lead on climate change.

At the Bali environment talks last week, the EU was credited with showing leadership on the need to protect the environment as the US dragged its heels.

Now, a storm of criticism has erupted after its new proposals on cutting CO2 emissions were shown to have been weakened after intense lobbying by European car manufacturers.

The European Commission proposals fulfil a threat to legislate if voluntary CO2 curbs were not agreed by the industry.

However, they only propose a new legally-binding maximum of 130 grams per kilometre by 2012 when emissions are already supposed to have reached 120 grams by two years ago.

The Commission has now said that the 120 gram figure could still be reached by 2012 but that manufacturers would only be responsible for reducing emissions to 130 grams.

The other 10 grams saving will come from “other technological improvements” such as better tyres with less rolling resistance and by increased use of bio-fuels.

“This initiative should be seen in the broader context of the fight against climate change” said a Commission statement.

“Cars are an important part of the everyday lives of a large number of Europeans. However, car use has significant impacts on climate change insofar as it accounts for 12% of the overall EU emissions of carbon dioxide. Consequently, the EU has committed itself to ambitious greenhouse gas reduction and energy efficiency improvement targets to which all relevant sectors of the economy should contribute.”

But Green MEP Caroline Lucas said the compromise – and another announcement due tomorrow on aircraft emissions – exposed the Commission as “hypocritical”.

She said: “Both run the risk of severely compromising the EU’s strong rhetoric on climate change after concessions were made to the car and aviation industries.

“Just days after taking credit for leadership on climate issues at the Bali talks the EU is due to fail at the first real test of its own commitment.

“Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions, yet the two key decisions this week will set out targets on car and plane emissions which fall far short of what’s needed.

“The EU looks bereft of political leadership on climate change while it holds on to these weak targets.”

She continued: “Political cowardice in the face of big industry lobbying is preventing the Council and the Commission from setting high emissions targets which seriously address the need to reduce greenhouse gases.

“Unless the EU gets its own climate policy in order, particularly on the vitally important issue of transport, its fine words in Bali last week will look like so much hypocrisy.”

Ms Lucas also said that on top of weakening its proposals, the Commission would probably also fail to set a longer term standard for 2020 which would favour heavy cars.

She said: “This would give carmakers a totally perverse incentive to increase the size of their cars, rather than creating smaller and cleaner cars.

Friends of the Earth said the EU’s climate change credibility was at stake and urged politicians to put the planet’s safety first and stand up to the “self-interested” car lobby.

Senior transport campaigner, Tony Bosworth, said: “We were hoping for tough action on greener cars from Europe this Christmas, but all we have got is the same old fudge.

“The European Commission’s plans would abandon a decade-old target for cutting emissions, give companies building heavier cars a favourable deal and impose inadequate penalties on manufacturers that do not meet their targets.”

The plan also came under fire from those supporting the car industry.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country backed efforts to cut emissions, but that “the path that was chosen is not economically beneficial”.

“We think that industrial policy is being made here at the expense of Germany and German automakers and so we are not satisfied with the result,” she said.

But European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said the proposal was “very fair”.

“Passenger cars account for about 12% of overall EU carbon dioxide emissions and emissions from transport are continually increasing.

“The aim of the legislation is to reduce CO2 emissions from cars in order to help fight climate change.”

Mr Dimas acknowledged the regulations could add some £900 to the price of cars but said that would be balanced by fuel savings of £1,900 for drivers over the lives of their cars.

Average emissions from new cars dropped to 160 gby last year but progress has been too slow for Brussels, and EU governments are likely to agree with the need for new laws – and penalties against manufacturers who breach the CO2 ceilings by the target date.