For more than two years lurches Volkswagen has been through exhaust scandal, here makes a vague promise, praised re half-hearted improvement. But now group finds its determination again. VW torpedoed, as if nothing had happened, new emission targets of European Union. It would be outrageous, but real scandal is that Volkswagen has succeeded with its three lobby positions.
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On Wednesday, EU Commission announced that 30 percent less CO2 will emit European cars from 2030, compared with year 2021. At same time, companies are obliged to rebuild ir fleet: around one third of cars may not consume more than 2.1 liters of petrol or 1.9 litres of diesel per 100 kilometers from 2030. Currently, this only creates electric and hybrid cars. What is more exciting, however, is what is not in proposal – because it was removed from VW and car lobby: a binding quota for e-cars, for example, or even stricter savings on CO2, as Commission initially planned.
According to German Zeitung, Brussels authority wanted to write down demanded decline in climate-hostile CO2 to 35 percent; Or politicians even speak of even more stringent targets, which were first traded down by lobbyists.
Gabriel discovers VW press spokesman
The industry used all its influence: Matthias Wissmann, head of German Automobile Association, spoke with head of Cabinet of Commission chairman Jean-Claude Juncker. The SZ cites an internal VW strategy paper, which advises to intervene with several EU commissioners – after all, demands of environmental organisations for 2030 are “extreme”.
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And even outgoing federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) discovered VW press spokesman: “It is refore a great concern for me that we do not stifle innovative power of automotive industry through too tightly knit EU legislation,” he wrote Juncker. It is about less car exhaust and better air – and Gabriel finds no or metaphor than “suffocating”.
30 or 35 percent less CO2 emissions – where is big difference?, many drivers may think. For individual this may actually be true, but for global climate, every percentage point is crucial. More than 230 million cars are on roads of EU, and transport is responsible for a fifth of European greenhouse gases, which in turn propel climate change. Each gram of CO2 saved thus multiplied by 230 million, has a significant influence on wher Earth continues to heat up, wher glaciers continue to melt and sea levels continue to rise, wher tropical storms become more frequent and water sources in Sahara less frequently.
What is alternative to an e-car quote?
One may well think that electromobility, for example, is not right lever to solve climate problems of our mass transport. When cars drive with electricity from brown coal, y can be more polluting than dirtiest diesel. It is necessary to be “open technology”, to think of many different solutions, so big carmakers always remind me.
That sounds pretty, of course. But what is alternative to an e-car quota that has successfully weggeklüngelt Autolobby in Brussels? Stricter general exhaust regulations for example. The policy would dictate to companies a target, route re y could choose mselves. But, alas, industry, as it has proven today, also reluctant itself.
The question of what more stinks: exhaust gases of cars or lobbying of manufacturers remains unclear in whole case.
Maybe you just can’t do orwise
Perhaps it is simply too much to ask that carmakers, who have lied to ir buyers for years and occupy hosts of lobbyists, are at once insightful. Perhaps you will continue to block every major solution and spend months around every tiny concession as before diesel summit with federal government in August. Perhaps you will continue to invest a large part of your profit in development of 37. Monstrous SUV, instead of building a first mass-capable hybrid car. Maybe you just can’t do anything else.
However, it would be all more important that policy – both in Berlin and in Brussels – finally limited influence of manufacturers. The car industry has lied for years and falsified exhaust gas values. Why should you still rely on your advice on this issue?
