Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, June 15 -- The European Union Transport Ministers have unanimously adopted the conclusions on a "European Energy Strategy for Transport" that were laid down at a March Council meeting.
"These conclusions are the first ever road map for a European strategy for transport," said German Minister of Transport, Building, and Urban Affairs Wolfgang Tiefensee, who chaired the meeting. "Here we have established the most ambitious requirements worldwide," in terms of car fuel consumption and emissions.
From 2012 automobile manufacturers must limit to 130 g/km the carbon dioxide emissions generated by vehicles, compared with about 160 g/km of CO2 today. The standards will apply both to manufacturers of large vehicles and to small and medium-sized cars that are the majority in Europe.
Tiefensee insisted that good infrastructure must accompany these efforts, as well as increasing use of alternative and renewable fuels. He wants road users to be given incentives to induce "climate-conscious" behavior.
Other modes of transportation should also be affected by the strategy, he said, citing maritime shipping and inland waterway transport. "This will not only reduce emissions, but will also help to further improve fuel efficiency through the use of modern engines," he said.