The transport sector is one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. The motor industry is vital to employment and to the European economy as a whole. At the same time, road transport is one of the few areas in which emissions are increasing. On 11 July 2012 the European Commission put forward a proposal cutting the average emission from new cars and vans.
Possible discussion points
- The Commission’s proposal – is there such a thing as a win-win situation, i.e. will it at same time cut CO2 emissions, boost jobs and investments and save money for drivers?
- The Commission’s proposal – is it well balanced, unrealistic or not ambitious enough?
- Can fuel efficiency standards be a push towards other alternatives such as natural gas, fuel cells and electric vehicles?
- Are fuel efficiency standards the best way to achieve the overall goal, i.e. reduced CO2 emissions, or are there alternative measures that should be considered?
- What role can fuel quality play in achieving lower CO2 emissions?
- How can we assure that the procedures for testing new vehicles actually reflect reality?
- How can we assure that buyers get the full benefits from more fuel-efficient cars as foreseen?
Speaker line-up
Carl Schlyter MEP, Vice-Chair ENVI, shadow rapportuer Reducing CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles
Philip Owen Head of Unit C2 – Transport and Ozone, DG CLIMA, European Commission
Greg Archer Programme Manager – Clean Vehicles, Transport & Environment
Laurianne Krid Policy Director, FiA – Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile
Moderator: Arno Behrens Head of Energy & Research Fellow, CEPS
