Saturday

2nd Dec 2023

Obama fuel standards lag behind EU effort

  • New US car emission standards are still bested by the EU (Photo: EUobserver)

US President Barack Obama's new fuel economy standards announced on Wednesday (20 May) have won praise domestically and around the world for being America's first emissions cap, but however much of a step forward, if passed, the car emission rules will still lag far behind those of Europe's own much criticised rules.

Mr Obama's plan, a compromise between car manufacturers and environmental critics, would require the average US vehicle - cars and light trucks - to achieve 35.5 miles per gallon (in metric around 15 kilometres to the litre) by 2016, a 30 percent advance over current fuel standards.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"As a result of this agreement we will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of the vehicles sold in the next five years," said the president announcing the measure.

According to a White House official, the programme will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million tonnes - the equivalent of taking 177 million cars off the road.

The proposed fuel economy and CO2 emissions standards marks the first time the US has regulated greenhouse gas emissions, and for this reason many people in the environmental community are cheering the move.

"Today's announcement is one of the most significant efforts undertaken by any president, ever, to end our addiction to oil and seriously slash our global warming emissions," said Carl Pope, the executive director of the Sierra Club, one of America's oldest and largest environmental groups.

"The speed with which the Obama administration is moving to build the clean energy economy has been breathtaking," he added.

But when compared to European Union standards, those of Japan or even China, the lower level of ambition becomes apparent.

China currently enforces an average fuel efficiency standard of 35.8 miles per gallon (mpg) and Japan demands 42.6 mpg.

Europe meanwhile requires vehicles achieve 43.3 mpg and by 2016 - the deadline of the Obama scheme - vehicles in the 27-country bloc will have to meet an efficiency standard of 50 mpg.

Despite Washington's lower target, the development remains vital because the US accounts for roughly half of all CO2 emissions in the world that are produced by cars.

This is the case even though America is home to just 30 percent of the planet's cars because of the size of the country - people drive further in cars with larger engines.

EU's own targets criticised

And behind the headline targets, the European Union is far from the car emissions angel it appears to be.

Last December, the EU reached a tentative agreement, yet to be approved by the European Parliament, on cutting car emissions.

Using a slightly different measuring stick to that of the US, the EU would require that the average carbon emissions from all new cars be reduced by 18 percent to 130 grams per kilometre by 2015.

However, green groups at the time slammed the deal as a capitulation to the car lobby, particularly from Germany, as the initial proposals from the European Commission would have seen all new cars required to meet the 130g/km standard by as early as 2012 as an average across a company's fleet - which was already a step back from previously stated ambitions.

Instead, firms were allowed to phase in their adherence to the standards - with 65 percent of a car company's fleet having to meet the requirement by 2012, 75 percent by 2013, 80 by 2014 and 100 percent by 2015.

Fines for breaching the standard were also watered down. Originally to have been €20 per excess gramme, they are now to be only €5 per gramme.

Finnish Green MEP Satu Hassi has suggested that the EU rules are weaker than what is likely to result simply from market demand. Consumers are increasingly prefer more fuel-efficient vehicles, she has argued, a trend that will drive down emissions from cars faster than the EU legislation.

Analysis

What are the big money debates at COP28 UN climate summit?

The most critical UN climate conference (COP28) ever will run from Thursday to mid-December — with talks on climate commitments and climate finance expected to determine the success of this year's summit.

Opinion

Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground

Discussion of the biggest existential threat humanity has ever faced is barely mentioned on billboards or signage in Dubai — yet visitors are made aware quite quickly that t world rugby sevens tournament is imminent.

Latest News

  1. Israel's EU ambassador: 'No clean way to do this operation'
  2. Brussels denies having no 'concern' on Spain's amnesty law
  3. Dubai's COP28 — a view from the ground
  4. Germany moves to criminalise NGO search-and-rescue missions
  5. Israel recalls ambassador to Spain in new diplomatic spat
  6. Migrant return bill 'obstructed' as EU states mull new position
  7. Paris and Berlin key to including rape in gender-violence directive
  8. What are the big money debates at COP28 UN climate summit?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  3. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  4. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?
  5. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  6. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  3. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  4. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersGlobal interest in the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations – here are the speakers for the launch
  6. Nordic Council of Ministers20 June: Launch of the new Nordic Nutrition Recommendations

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us