Transport and Environment - Bulletin / News and views from the field of transport and environment in Europe
The printable version of the March 2012 T&E bulletin can be downloaded from our website.
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March 2012:
The Commission is hinting that it is about to announce a ‘re-interpretation’ of its rules on oversized lorries – so-called ‘megatrucks’ or ‘gigaliners’ – that could amount to the green light for the controversial vehicles. The transport commissioner Siim Kallas was going to announce the move at a road lobby conference late last month, but held back following angry reactions from MEPs and environmental groups. T&E says the re-interpretation would open the flood gates to megatrucks and set back attempts to reinvigorate rail freight.
Slowing down ships by regulating slow steaming can make a massive difference to the environmental impact of sea transport, and save ship operators lots of money. These are the conclusions of a report by the Dutch consultancy CE Delft commissioned by T&E and Seas At Risk.
The EU’s decision on how to assess the environmental impact of transport fuels made from unconventional sources such as tar sands and coal-to-liquid processing has been delayed until June. Officials from the 27 member states failed to reach agreement on how to assess the controversial fuels.
Attempts to base all European fuel taxes on energy content and greenhouse gas emissions moved a step closer, when MEPs voted to make this obligatory from 2025 at the end of last month.
Two new reports are expected to put more pressure on the Commission over its biofuels policy. Both add to the growing bank of evidence that under current policies, changes in land use caused by growing biofuels crops will wipe out the climate benefits of using certain biofuels, especially in the case of biodiesel.
Opinion by Jos Dings - T&E Director
Pick up a newspaper these days and it looks as if the EU is about to start a political world war.
Pick up a newspaper these days and it looks as if the EU is about to start a political world war.
The head of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) says there will be a proposal for a global strategy to combat climate emissions from aircraft by the end of the year, with possible agreement in late 2013. His statement comes as non-EU airlines who are unhappy with emissions trading for aviation continue to threaten action against the EU but appear to lack unity.
The German car maker Volkswagen has announced plans for a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions between 2006 and 2015 to achieve an average of 120g/km from new cars sold.
The European Respiratory Society has called on the EU to strengthen its legislation on air quality, and says measures to reduce greenhouse gases will also help fight air pollution.
A court in Milan has rejected five legal attempts to suspend the city’s congestion charge area that came into force in January.
