EU Aims for 30% CO2 Reduction by Trucks in 2030

Under new guidelines proposed by the European Commission, all large trucks must reduce CO2 emissions by 15 percent as of 2025, compared to 2019 levels. By 2030 trucks will have to emit at least 30 percent less CO2 than in 2019.

The proposal will need to be approved by EU governments and the European Parliament before becoming law. The EU currently has no limits on the CO2 emitted from trucks, which account for a quarter of all road transport emissions.

Countries such as the United States, China, Japan and Canada have already set targets to reduce CO2 emissions from trucks.

The European Commission proposed an interim CO2 reduction target of 15 percent by 2025 for all large trucks compared to 2019 levels. By 2030 trucks will have to emit at least 30 percent less CO2 than in 2019.

The EU by 2030 wants to cut overall emissions by at least 40 percent versus 1990 levels. Thursday’s proposal follows new draft rules on CO2 standards for cars.

“All sectors must contribute to meet our climate commitments under the Paris Agreement,” said Miguel Arias Canete, EU Commissioner for climate action and energy. “That’s why, for the first time ever, we are proposing EU standards to increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions from new heavy-duty vehicles.”

The proposed targets are likely to disappoint environmental campaigners and some EU countries who had called for a 2025 target of at least 24 percent and a 2030 target of 34-45 percent.

The Commission expects its targets to save around 54 million tons of CO2 from 2020 to 2030, equivalent to the total annual emissions of Sweden.

Europe’s car industry lobbied this month for a 16 percent tail-pipe CO2 reduction between 2019 and 2030, with an intermediate target of 7 percent in 2025, the ACEA industry group said in a statement.

Category: General Update, Green