CO₂ emissions from new cars in the EU decreased in 2003

30 June 2005

CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars sold in the EU-15 decreased by 1.2% from 2002 to 2003, according to the new annual report on CO₂ emissions from new cars adopted by the European Commission (reporting year 2003). Between 1995 and 2003, the CO₂ emissions decreased by 11.8%. The 1.2% reduction rate is similar to that achieved in the previous year (2002).

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Under a 1998 voluntary agreement between the European Commission and the European car manufacturers association (ACEA), manufacturers have committed themselves to reduce their average car CO₂ emissions to 140 g/km by 2008 (a 25% reduction from 1995 levels), with a possible extension to 120 g/km by 2012. Similar agreements were signed with Japanese (JAMA) and Korean (KAMA) car manufacturers.

Since the beginning of the commitments, ACEA and JAMA show good progress in reducing CO₂ emissions, although there has been less progress in 2003 than in the initial years of the commitments. KAMA's progress remains limited—said the Commission—although it has been catching up in the last three years.

All three associations are facing significant challenges to reach the 140 g/km target by 2008/9. If this target is to be met, the average annual reduction rates in the remaining years would have to be 2.8% for ACEA, 3.1% for JAMA and 3.6% for KAMA.

Road transport generates more than one fifth of all CO₂ emissions in the EU, with passenger cars being responsible for more than half of these emissions. CO₂ emissions from road transport have risen by 22% since 1990.

Source: European Commission