UN calls on global car industry to halve emissions

The UN yesterday joined with a coalition of international motoring bodies at the Geneva Motor Show to call on the global auto industry to improve fuel efficiency by at least 50 per cent by 2050.

The Global Fuel Economy Initiative group, which includes the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), International Energy Agency (IEA), International Transport Forum (ITF) and global road safety body the FIA Foundation, used the annual trade show to release a new report detailing how the car industry could improve fuel consumption per kilometre 50 per cent by 2050 using only existing technologies.

The report, entitled 50 by 50, also warned that with the global car fleet predicted to triple by 2050, the car industry needs to accelerate efforts to curb carbon emissions if it is to successfully contribute to deep emission cuts.

Speaking at the launch of the new coalition, Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the IEA, urged governments to use its road map for improved fuel efficiency as the foundation for auto industry bailouts. "Confronting the recession is a real opportunity for governments to combine support for the auto industry with measures to achieve environmental and energy policy goals," he said. "The faster we can move on this, the more benefits will accrue."

Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary general and UNEP executive director, added that with fuel-efficiency improvements of 50 per cent feasible using existing technologies such as lighter materials and improved tyre designs, the target should be regarded as a minimum "floor" target that the industry should aim to exceed.

The group said it would follow the launch of the new report with a global lobbying effort ahead of the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen later this year, designed to encourage politicians and the car industry to develop more demanding fuel-efficiency policies.

It added that it would also undertake four pilot projects designed to test the development of new fuel-efficiency policies and launch a new global database of fuel-efficient technologies and material to help vehicle designers.