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2/2/07

Environment News Service: EU Government Proposes Low Carbon Transport Fuel Standard

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EU Government Proposes Low Carbon Transport Fuel Standard

The European Commission today proposed new standards for transport fuels that will reduce their contribution to climate change and air pollution through greater use of biofuels. The proposed standards will not only make the fuels themselves cleaner but will also allow the introduction of vehicles and machinery that pollute less, said the Commission, which is the executive branch of the European Union government.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said, "This is one of the most important measures in the series of new initiatives the Commission needs to take to step up the fight against global climate change. It is a concrete test of our political commitment to leadership on climate policy and our capacity to translate political priorities into concrete measures."

To encourage the development of lower-carbon fuels and biofuels, suppliers will have to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the production, transport and use of their fuels by 10 percent between 2011 and 2020. The new standards are expected to achieve a reduction in the European Union's greenhouse gas emissions of 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide by 2020 - equivalent to the total combined emissions of Spain and Sweden today.

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