Following the vote by MEPs in the ENVI Committee this morning (24th October) on CO2 targets for new freight trucks, Sandra Roling, Director of Transport at Climate Group, has commented:
“The EU’s decision today to resist the fossil fuel lobby’s call to allow loopholes for e-fuels and biofuels in CO2 standards for heavy trucks is very welcome. Alternative fuels serve only to prolong the life of the combustion engine, and we simply can’t afford that. The decision today will give businesses confidence to invest in fully zero emission trucks.
The targets to reduce CO2 emissions by 45% by 2030, and 70% by 2035 are a step in the right direction – but businesses have called for far more ambitious targets and a complete phase-out of fossil powered trucks, so this is a missed opportunity. Leading businesses are already committed to this as part of their EV100+ commitment, and greater ambition would have allowed them to transition to clean trucks more quickly.
Trucks account for just 2% of EU’s road traffic but more than a quarter of road transport emissions, causing pollution and climate impacts. Switching to zero emission vehicles as fast as possible will have a hugely positive impact on the health of EU citizens and Europe’s climate.
