UK new car emissions show record drop: report

Carbon dioxide emissions from the average new car in the UK dropped by a record amount in 2008 (PDF), according to a new report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The report states that emissions from new cars shrank by 4.2 percent last year, to 158.0 grams per kilometre, down from 164.9 grams per kilometre in 2007. Since 1997, emissions have fallen a full 16.8 percent, down from an average of 189.8 grams per kilometre.

“Through technological innovation and consumer education, manufacturers have made genuine progress towards meeting tough environmental targets,” writes Paul Everitt, SMMT’s CEO, in the introduction to the report. “However, the biggest challenges still lie ahead. The adoption of the EU new car CO2 regulation in December 2008 set strict pan-European targets of 130g/km by 2015. An annual improvement of 2.5% is needed to meet the European target, although the decline in fleet renewal brought on by the global economic crisis is likely to slow the rate of improvement.”

Meeting future targets will require steady financial support for research and development, Everitt says.

“The UK motor industry has a long-term future at the heart of the low carbon agenda but government must act now to guarantee the country’s position at the forefront of environmental innovation and production. Government must create an environment in which low carbon automotive manufacturing can prosper, securing employment and prosperity for years to come.”