EU car lobby’s renewed attack on cars CO2 targets - on the back of COVID-19
(Transport and Environment, 27 Mar 2020) On 25 March 2020, all of the lobby groups of the European car industry - including manufacturers, suppliers, tyre-makers and dealers - wrote to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pleading for a relaxation of cars CO2 targets.
While the lobby associations rightly point to the significant challenges posed by an unprecedented global health crisis, they explicitly call for a postponement of CO2 and safety laws: “We believe therefore that some adjustment would need to be made to the timing of these laws,” the letter states.
A closer look at the facts around the climate (and green tech) targets shows that such a plea is currently unfounded and potentially damaging for the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the car industry in Europe.