The Netherlands has claimed the top spot in a new report that ranks Member States on their ‘green’ car taxation policies and average CO₂ emissions from new cars bought in 2013.
Greece and Portugal occupy second and third place, respectively, in the report by the European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E), an NGO that promotes sustainable transport in Europe.
The report, which monitors Member States’ progress in reducing CO₂ emissions and improving the fuel efficiency of cars, shows that the top six best performing countries all achieved more than a 5 per cent reduction in annual emissions of new cars.
In contrast a number of countries achieved less than a 2.5 per cent improvement in average CO₂ emissions from 2012. Results vary dramatically between Member States.
According to T&E the principle responsibility to reduce CO₂ falls upon car makers – however it says that there is much that Member States can do to help progress through the policies that they adopt nationally.
‘While some countries have made conspicuous efforts to improve the fuel economy of their new cars, others have done very little to support the aims of the cars and CO₂ legislation,’ the report says.
To download the full report, visit the Transport & Environment website.
Original author: Alexia
