Some of Europe's biggest-selling vans are already close to meeting proposed EU CO2 targets for 2016 after making big improvements in fuel efficiency this year, according to T&E. Meanwhile the car industry lobby continues to claim that EU proposals for binding reduction targets are 'unrealistic'. That claim is not credible, says T&E.

Mar 12, 2010 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | Press Releases | Vans

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| Climate Change & Energy | Events | Pricing & Taxation

The EU’s new climate change commissioner is promising an initiative on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from lorries, and says the existing agreement to reduce CO2 emissions from new cars could be tightened to provide greater incentives to car makers.

Feb 15, 2010 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | General Transport | Lorries & Road Freight | T&E Bulletin

Plans for the EU to set greenhouse gas emission limits for ships using EU ports moved a step closer last month when the Commission published a new report looking at various ways of charging for maritime emissions. It concludes that emissions trading is the best and most feasible way of providing a financial incentive for reducing shipping's contribution to global warming.

Feb 15, 2010 | Climate Change & Energy | Shipping | T&E Bulletin

Expanding the EU’s Eurovignette directive to cover pollution, noise and congestion would not disadvantage peripheral member states and would bring net benefits of at least €2.3 billion a year.

Feb 15, 2010 | Lorries & Road Freight | T&E Bulletin

Environmental organisations have reacted with alarm to draft guidance from the Commission aimed at clarifying sustainability rules for biofuels. NGOs fear the guidance, if brought into effect, would lead to more greenhouse gases as a result of biofuel production, not fewer.

Feb 15, 2010 | Fuels | T&E Bulletin

The European Commission is refusing to release scientific research on EU biofuel policies, frustrating efforts to bring to light the environmental damage that would result from current biofuel policies. The research is likely to confirm the findings of numerous scientific studies that show several types of biofuels cause more emissions than conventional fossil fuels (1).

Feb 12, 2010 | Climate Change & Energy | Fuels | Press Releases

Jos Dings writes in today's European Voice:

Visitors to the Brussels motor show last month could have been left with only one impression: the future is electric. As your special report on the future of cars noted (14-20 January), virtually every manufacturer exhibited a car powered by batteries.

Feb 04, 2010 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy

T&E together with EEB and AirClim have written to the European Commissioners-designate for environment and climate to highlight the need to combat air pollution from shipping in Europe.

Jan 19, 2010 | Air Pollution | Shipping

A new study on aviation says the pace of improvements in aircraft energy efficiency is very slow, and no progress has been made in the last decade. It calls for a carbon dioxide emissions standard for aircraft already in production.

Dec 16, 2009 | Aviation | Fuels | T&E Bulletin | Climate Change & Energy

A new report suggests airlines could make large windfall profits from aviation joining the EU Emissions Trading Scheme in 2012, if airlines charge customers for emission allowances they are given free-of-charge.

Dec 16, 2009 | Air Pollution | Aviation | Pricing & Taxation | T&E Bulletin | Climate Change & Energy

A new study has said introducing a charge on nitrogen oxides emissions could cut around 270 000 tonnes of emissions from ships in the Baltic Sea in 2015, a reduction of 60% based on currently expected levels.

Dec 16, 2009 | Air Pollution | Shipping | T&E Bulletin

Norway is planning to scrap a tax exemption for biodiesel, joining a growing number of countries taking the view that users of biofuels should pay for them instead of taxpayers.

Dec 16, 2009 | Fuels | Pricing & Taxation | T&E Bulletin

Transport & Environment, together with other organisations, has criticised the decision to ask Norway and Singapore to guide informal talks on aviation/shipping emissions at Copenhagen.

Dec 15, 2009 | Aviation | Climate Change & Energy | Shipping

A deal on including aviation and shipping emissions in the Copenhagen climate agreement is being blocked by China, India, Saudi Arabia and The Bahamas (1). Failure to include the two sectors (known collectively as bunker emissions) puts at risk both a major source of climate funding for developing countries and the long term success of climate reduction targets say environmental organisations.

Dec 14, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Aviation | Press Releases | Shipping

Several European environmental NGOs have launched Cleaner Car Contracts, an initiative to mobilise Europe's largest lease companies and fleet owners to accelerate the introduction of fuel-efficient cars.

Dec 03, 2009 | Climate Change & Energy | Cars

The European Parliament has approved a new energy efficiency, safety and noise labelling scheme for new tyres. Transport & Environment says the label is a step forward but much will now depend on national authorities being strict on implementing the scheme.

Nov 25, 2009 | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | Lorries & Road Freight | Noise | Press Releases | Vans

Europe’s first legislation to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new vans has been published by the Commission. Although a significant development, the draft regulation has the fingerprints of fierce lobbying by the automotive industry, and even the EU’s environment commissioner regretted its reduced level of ambition.

Nov 16, 2009 | Vans | Cars | Climate Change & Energy | T&E Bulletin

The worst biofuels can emit 2000% more greenhouse gases than fossil fuels, while the best can genuinely cut down on emissions. Those are two conclusions of a new United Nations report, one of several papers published in the last month that reaffirm that only certain biofuels can be environmentally beneficial – and only then if produced in certain ways.

Nov 16, 2009 | Fuels | Climate Change & Energy | T&E Bulletin

Europeans wanting to know how noisy their area is can now find out at the click of a mouse.

Nov 16, 2009 | Noise | T&E Bulletin