- EU ministers back ambitious CO2 targets for trucks, signaling a green future for the transport sector.
- Advocacy group Transport & Environment urges stricter measures, emphasizing the need for heightened emission cuts to maintain competitiveness.
- The decision now rests with the European Parliament’s environment committee, with a crucial vote approaching on October 24th.
EU Ministers Back Ambitious CO2 Targets Advocacy Group Calls Stricter Measures Ahead Crucial Parliamentary Decision
EU environment ministers have thrown their support behind the proposed CO2 targets for trucks laid out by the EU Commission. Manufacturers will be required to slash the average emissions of new freight trucks by 45% in 2030. This will be followed by a 65% reduction in 2035 and an ambitious 90% cut by 2040. This decision reflects a vital step toward decarbonizing the transport sector, a key goal in combating climate change.
However, the environmental advocacy group Transport & Environment (T&E) is urging Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to take it a step further.
Fedor Unterlohner, Freight Manager at T&E, said:
“The EU has taken an important step towards greener trucking. By supporting the Commission’s targets, governments have set the minimum standard for the sector to decarbonise. We now call on MEPs to increase the 2030 standard. Truckmakers need a clear signal to go all in on zero-emission trucks and compete with Tesla and Chinese rivals.
The oil and gas industry has lobbied hard for biofuels and e-fuels to ensure as many fossil-powered trucks as possible enter the fleet over the coming decades and keep up demand for fossil fuels. We call on the European Parliament to join the Council in saying no to these Frankenstein fuels which are a desperate attempt by the oil majors to keep combustion engines alive.”
T&E has criticized the exemption of specific heavy-duty vehicles, such as garbage trucks and construction vehicles. They are pushing MEPs to tighten these exemptions. They believe the current form would allow approximately 20% of heavy-duty vehicle sales to evade crucial climate targets.
The ball is now in the court of the European Parliament’s environment committee. They are slated to make a decision on the matter on October 24th. This decision determines the trajectory of the trucking industry and its contribution to a sustainable future.
