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09/05/2013 - European Parliament Committee supports emission reduction plan for cars and vans, including 'super credits'more

09/05/2013 - GreenGasGrids project publishes ‘Biomethane Guide for decision makers’more

26/04/2013 - NGV2013 Gothenburg is approaching - high-ranking speakers and market-leading exhibitors confirmedmore

26/04/2013 - Swedish Government extends tax incentives for NGVs and methane refuelling infrastructure until 2016more

15/04/2013 - EU funding available to fight pollution caused by ships – opportunities for LNGmore

27/03/2013 - New brands and flagship models mark their NGV market entry at the Geneva Motor Showmore

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NGVA Europe welcomes MEP report on White Paper calling for 20% CO2 reduction in road transport by 2020

01 October 2011

NGVA Europe, the Natural & bio Gas Vehicle Association, welcomes the recently published Grosch report, prepared by the Belgian MEP and TRAN Committee member in the European Parliament, Mathieu Grosch, which itself "welcomes the 2011 White Paper, but notes that major goals of the 2001 White Paper were reached either only in part or not at all." The MEP report considers that more specific provisions are required for the period until 2020, inlcuding challenges facing transport in the field of energy and the environment, and therefore e.g. calls for a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from road transport by 2020. NGVA Europe is fully supporting the set target by the MEPs, as natural gas and biomethane, as an immediately available alternative to oil in transport, can help to meet this target right away. At the same time, NGVA Europe recommends to put a stronger emphasis on the crucial issue of improving local air quality in cities. Natural gas and biomethane can be used in existing internal combustion engines with no limitation to blending thanks to the same molecular composition. Biomethane is one of the main pillars to reach the mandatory 2020 target of 10% biofuels in transport. The development of biomethane is linked to that of Natural Gas Vehicles and hence a favourable tax treatment allowing the development of methane refuelling infrastructure. Methane, the available alternative to oil derived fuels, has very low NOx and PM emissions improving urban air quality and also significantly reduces noise and CO2.

Press Release
Committee: Transport and Tourism
08-09-2011

A 50% reduction in the deaths and injuries on Europe's roads, clear targets for reducing CO2 emissions and the inclusion of the costs of noise and pollution in the prices of all modes of transport: these are the key proposals in the draft report on the Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area presented to Parliament's Transport Committee on Thursday by Mathieu Grosch (EPP, BE).

His report builds on the Commission white paper on EU transport policy from now to 2050 presented in March. "We have to learn the lessons of the previous white papers, set clear 10-year targets and ensure that they are met", said the Belgian MEP this morning, condemning the lack of political will shown by Member States in the past.

Stressing that efficient integrated transport ("co-modality") in passenger and goods transport "should be the guiding idea for future transport policy", Mr Grosch calls on the Commission to issue proposals by 2013 to develop infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists in towns and to double the number of passengers on public transport by means of incentives.

Cutting CO2 emissions and removing bottlenecks

Mr Grosch proposes targets to cut CO2 emissions by 20% in road transport and 30% in air transport and shipping by 2020. He also wants energy consumption and noise in the rail sector to fall by 20%. The costs of pollution, noise and congestion should be reflected in the price paid by the user (through the internalisation of the external costs of all forms of transport) and the revenue generated in this way could be used by Member States to fund priority schemes to eliminate the 25 known bottlenecks in the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T projects). The Commission could increase its level of direct funding to at least 30% of total investments for funding plans and priority cross-border projects drawn up by Member States, while drastically limiting the number of projects that receive funding, says Mr Grosch.

For the S&D Group, Czech MEP Olga Sehnalová called for the new targets to be based on a detailed analysis of the existing systems and, together with Gesine Meissner (ALDE, DE), opposed any new proposal on port services.

Michael Cramer (Greens, DE) called for the introduction of a Europe-wide speed limit as a means of reducing both pollution and accidents on Europe's roads.

In the chair: Dominique Riquet (EPP, FR)

Source: NGVA Europe, TRAN Committee

NGVA Europe... for sustainable mobility