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European Commission joins Climate and Clean Air Coalition

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European Commission joins Climate and Clean Air Coalition

25/04/2012The European Commission has joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, a new international initiative to accelerate the reduction of emissions of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon (soot) and hydrofluorocarbon gases (HFCs). The announcement was made at a meeting of the Coalition in Stockholm on 24 April and takes the number of Coalition partners to 13.
Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said: “The European Commission is very pleased to join this Coalition. This initiative should complement the efforts needed under the UN climate change convention to cut global greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will limit global temperature increase to below 2°C. The Commission is willing to consider further support to concrete projects in developing countries to reduce emissions from short-lived climate pollutants.”

“Action on t..

New study looks at the costs of meeting the 2020 CO2 target for vans

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New study looks at the costs of meeting the 2020 CO2 target for vans

27/04/2012A report prepared for the European Commission presents an updated analysis of the feasibility and costs of reducing the average CO2 emissions from new light commercial vehicles (vans). The new report complements an equivalent analysis for passenger cars.
Regulation (EC) 510/2011 sets a target for vans of maximum emissions of 147gCO2/km by 2020. The main conclusion of the report is that new vans can meet this target at a lower cost than estimated in 2009. The report also assesses the effects of changing some key elements of the legislation, for example, the utility parameter used to set the individual targets for manufacturers, and the distribution of costs between different van producers.

The report underpins the impact assessment accompanying the forthcoming proposal to review the Regulation. The main objective of this review is to confirm the 2020 target for ..

Commission moves forward on climate and energy towards 2030

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Commission moves forward on climate and energy towards 2030

27/03/2013The European Commission today took the first step towards developing a 2030 framework for EU climate change and energy policies. Its Green Paper launches a public consultation on the content of the 2030 framework. The Commission also published a Consultative Communication on the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in Europe, aimed at initiating a debate on the options available to ensure its timely development. The Commission also adopted a report assessing the EU and Member States' progress towards their 2020 renewable energy targets and on the sustainability of biofuels and bioliquids consumed in the EU.
Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action, said: “Europe's dependence on foreign fossil fuels is growing every year. That means more expensive and unaffordable energy bills for Europeans. This is not very wise. It's obviously not wise f..

CO2 emissions from new cars down by 3% in 2011

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CO2 emissions from new cars down by 3% in 2011

20/06/2012Europeans are buying more efficient cars. Average carbon dioxide emissions from cars continue to fall in Europe, according to preliminary figures released today.
Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: “Europe's car manufacturers are delivering towards the 2015 CO2 targets. These data confirm that there's steady progress in improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions from new cars. This is a good sign for the capacity of Europe's car industry to innovate and thus maintain global competitiveness while making their products more efficient.”

The European Environment Agency today published provisional data on average CO2 emissions from new passenger cars registered in 2011. There were 12.8 million new cars registered in the EU in 2011. The average CO2 emissions from these cars were 135.7 grams CO2 per kilometre, which is 4.6g CO2/km less than in 2010 ..

More CO2 emission cuts from cars and vans: a win for the climate, consumers, innovation and jobs

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More CO2 emission cuts from cars and vans: a win for the climate, consumers, innovation and jobs

11/07/2012The European Commission today put forward proposals to implement targets that will further considerably reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars and light commercial vehicles (vans) by 2020.
Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action, said: ''With our proposals we are not only protecting the climate and saving consumers money. We are also boosting innovation and competitiveness in the automotive sector. And we will create substantial numbers of jobs as a result. This is a clear win-win situation for everyone. This is one more important step towards a competitive, low-carbon economy. More CO2 reductions beyond 2020 need to be prepared and these will be considered in consultation with stakeholders.”

The proposals will cut average emissions from new cars to 95 grams of CO2 per km (g CO2/km) in 2020 from ..

New study on cost effective means for reducing greenhouse gases from heavy duty vehicles

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New study on cost effective means for reducing greenhouse gases from heavy duty vehicles

24/09/2012A new study on Marginal abatement cost curves for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDVs) is now available as part of the Commission's preparatory work for its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from heavy duty vehicles. The study, prepared by CE Delft for the Commission, suggests a significant potential to secure reduced emissions with cost effective technical measures. Estimates contained in the study of break-even points for fuel saving technology uptakes are at this stage indicative.
The Commission is continuing its work with a view to presenting the strategy in 2013.

Study on Marginal abatement cost curves for Heavy Duty Vehicles
Towards a strategy to address CO2 emissions from Heavy-Duty Vehicles

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CO2 emissions from new cars fell by over 3% in 2011

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CO2 emissions from new cars fell by over 3% in 2011

11/12/2012The European Commission today adopted a decision confirming provisional findings that average CO2 emissions from new cars in the EU dropped by 3.3% last year. This decision is based on emissions data gathered by the European Environment Agency and verified by car manufacturers.
The average CO2 emissions for the 12.8 million new cars registered in the EU in 2011 was 135.7 grams per kilometre. This is a drop of 4.6g CO2/km compared to 2010 and confirms that car manufacturers are on track to reach the 2015 target of 130g CO2/km.

The monitoring process includes the collection of data from Member States by the European Environment Agency and verification by the manufacturers themselves. This ensures a balanced assessment by the Commission of manufacturers' performance in meeting their specific targets. In 2013, the confirmed emissions for 2012 will serve as a basis for calculat..

The European Commission in search of the best climate solutions in Europe

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The European Commission in search of the best climate solutions in Europe

11/02/2013Today Connie Hedegaard, EU Commissioner for Climate Action, launches a low-carbon contest, calling on creative and innovative minds from across the EU to put their green initiatives to the test. The World You Like Challenge is part of the European Commission's climate action campaign: A world you like.
Commissioner Hedegaard said: “The Challenge is a great opportunity to move beyond mere talking about climate change. By submitting your project, you help us show that building a world we like with a climate we like is both feasible and affordable. And it won't make our lives dull and grey.”

During three months, starting today, you can submit your own low-carbon success story for the World You Like Challenge. All projects, big or small, coming from individuals or organisations based in an EU Member State will be considered, provided that their main ..

Commission approves first eco-innovation for passenger cars

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Commission approves first eco-innovation for passenger cars

13/03/2013The European Commission today approved the first eco-innovation to help reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars. The decision follows an application by carmaker Audi AG involving the use of light emitting diodes (LEDs).
Audi has demonstrated that the use of LEDs in the low beam headlamp, the high beam headlamp and the licence plate lamp is innovative within the meaning of the relevant legislation, reduces CO2 emissions and is not otherwise taken into account for determining the level of such emissions from vehicles.

The vehicle-specific CO2 savings from the eco-innovation will be certified for each version of the car that is equipped with this technology as part of the vehicle type approval procedure. The reduction in CO2 emissions will be counted towards the achievement of the manufacturer's annual CO2 emissions target, up to a maximum level of 7gCO2/km per year…

CO2 emissions from new cars fell further in 2012

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CO2 emissions from new cars fell further in 2012

30/04/2013Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars continue to fall in Europe, according to preliminary figures released today. Average CO2 emissions from the new EU car fleet decreased by 2.6% to 132.2 grams/km in 2012. This means that the average car became 17% more efficient in the period 2007-2012.
Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard said: “This clearly shows that it helps to set standards and European car makers are embracing the opportunities of moving to a low-carbon economy by delivering cars that are increasingly fuel efficient and emit less and less CO2. In doing this, the European car industry will not only remain competitive in the changing global market but is also benefiting consumers, who are saving money on fuel.”

The 2012 CO2 emissions data for new cars were published today by the European Environment Agency. Some 12 million new cars were registered, against 12.8 mil..