MEPs stick with strong line on CO2 emissions from cars

In a surprise vote, deputies in the European Parliament's environment committee have put car manufacturers on the back foot, not only endorsing European Commission proposals for restricting carbon dioxide emissions from cars by 2012, but by proposing a second, deeper target for reductions by 2020.

The bill would force car firms to cut the average emissions of CO2 in new cars to 130 grams per kilometre by 2012 - a reduction of some 24 percent on the average 158 grammes of CO2 per kilomet...