European Union environment ministers Monday backed a preliminary agreement with other EU institutions on new rules that will cut greenhouse gas emissions by small trucks starting in 2017.
European Union environment ministers Monday backed a preliminary
agreement with other EU institutions on new rules that will cut greenhouse gas
emissions by small trucks starting in 2017.
The new rules will mandate that, on average, new vans built to transport goods
and weighing less than 3.5 metric tons will have to emit no more than 175 grams
of CO2 per kilometer by 2017. The target will decrease to 147 grams per
kilometer by 2020.
The deal--which mirrors a similar one on passenger car emissions--is part of
the EU's ongoing effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions within the 27-country
bloc and across a broad range of industries as varied as cement manufacturing
and aviation.
However, final deals are often less ambitious in their targets than the initial
proposals by the European Commission, because of strong lobbying efforts by the
industries and diverging national interests.
"We have something that is definitely more ambitious than what the
industry wanted, said European Commissioner for Climate Connie Hedegaard during
a press conference after the ministerial meeting, to which she also
participated. "This will actually drive some innovation," she added.
The law will become enforceable once the European Parliament and EU ministers
formally rubber-stamp it early next year.
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