Car Industry Development in Europe - Essay Example

It also reviews all the protocols and steps to achieve the emission standards by the EU and how it affects the present status of the car industry and its requirements. The essay also looks into various technical measures that the car industry has to take to improve the condition of more CO2 emitting cars towards less CO2 emitting ears. It also emphasizes that how these steps improve the overall environment in the EU especially the emission of CO2 level, which is to be achieved within a time frame. Finally, the essay recommends various measures on the how EU enforces these regulations legislatively to improve the overall situation of emission of GHG. It also emphasizes how customers and the car industry could be benefited by applying and adhering to environmental standards for sustainable growth & development.
Europe is at the forefront of international efforts to combat climate change and must deliver the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to which it has committed under the Kyoto protocol. The greenhouse effect is one of the better-understood features of the atmosphere. The European Commission proposed in January 2007 “The EU pursues in context of international negotiations, the objective of a 30% reduction of GHG emission by developed countries by 2020 (compared to 1990 levels)”. To avoid distortions and for the sake of economical and social fairness, all sectors must contribute to the reduction effort.
Cars are an important part of the everyday lives of a large number of Europeans; the automobile industry is a significant source of employment and growth in many regions of the EU. However, car usage has significant impacts on climate change with about 12% of the overall EU emissions of CO2, the main greenhouse gas, coming from fuel consumed by passenger cars. Even though there have been significant improvements in vehicle technology in particular fuel efficiency which also means lower CO2 emissions but this has not been enough to neutralize the effect of increased traffic and car size. While the EU as a whole has reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by just under 5% over the 1990-2004 period, the CO2 emissions from road transport have increased by 26% keeping because of the above situations in June 2006, European Council therefore unanimously reconfirmed that “In line with the EU Strategy on CO2 emissions from cars/light-duty vehicles, the average new car fleet should achieve CO2 emissions of 140g CO2/km by 2008/09 and 120g CO2 /km by 2012”. The European Parliament called for “a policy of strong measures to reduce emission from transport, including mandatory limits for CO2 emissions from new vehicles in order of 80-100g CO2/km for new vehicles in the medium term to be achieved through emission trading between car manufacturers.
Because of the above developments in implementing environmental norms and standards by the EU, car manufacturers around the globe may face specific problems as well as adhering to norms laid down by the EU. The auto industry is often thought of as one of the most global of all industries.