From: Greenpeace via Jym Dyer <jym@mica.berkeley.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism,talk.environment
Subject: NEWS: A White Paper for a Dark Future? (EC Transport Policy)
Followup-To: talk.environment
Date: 29 Dec 1992 01:32:27 GMT
Organization: The Naughty Peahen Party Line
NNTP-Posting-Host: remarque.berkeley.edu
Keywords: environment press transportation

[Greenpeace Press Release from Greenbase -- Redistribute Freely]
 
        A WHITE PAPER FOR A DARK FUTURE? 
 
BRUSSELS, December 7, 1992 (GP) Today, Transport Commissioner
Karel Van Miert will present the European Commission's white
paper "The Future Development of the Common Transport Policy"
to the Council of Transport Ministers.  This white paper,
meant to be the outline of a Community framework for sustainable
mobility, does not solve the basic contradictions in the
Community's approach to transport policy, and will therefore be
an impediment rather than a means to achieve the Community's
goal of stabilizing its CO2 emissions.
 
In the white paper, the Commission acknowledges that the use of
the private car has doubled during the last two decades, and
that road freight transport has grown even faster, pushing CO2
emissions from motor vehicles up 76% during that time. According
to the white paper, emissions are likely to increase a further
24.6% during the next ten years.  Thus, the growth in CO2
emissions is strongest in the transport sector.
 
This stands in blatant contrast to the need to reduce CO2
emissions by 80% in order to prevent uncontrollable climate
change -- as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) -- and jeopardizes the Community's
declared goal of stabilizing CO2 emissions by the year 2000
at 1990 levels.
 
"Yet, the Commission has not drawn the obvious conclusion from
the obvious trends," says Dr. Gudrun Lammers of the Greenpeace
EC Unit.  "Instead of giving a clear direction to its transport
policy, it has compiled a shopping list of contradictory goals."
 
On the one hand, an increased integration of European transport
infrastructure, including 12,000 kms of new motorways, are meant
to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow. This will make
road transport easier and cheaper.  On the other hand, the
Commission states that even with an ambitious 40% increase in
car fuel efficiency, the growth in the car fleet will make
stabilization of CO2 emissions impossible in 2010!  As a remedy,
they suggest raising transport cost through taxation and other
fiscal measures.
 
In a study on road freight transport published on November
24th,* Greenpeace has shown that only a consistent transport
policy including increased fuel efficiency, a drastic increase
in transport cost and a redirection of infrastructure investment
from road to rail, can make sure that the necessary CO2
reductions are achieved.
 
"Changing the Common Transport Policy is certainly more
desirable than changing the climate," says Michael Johann,
international coordinator of Greenpeace's transport campaign.
"The EC has to cancel new motorway construction, make road
users pay their external cost and introduce tough efficiency
standards. A climate catastrophe can still be prevented,
provided the EC adopts a consistent transport policy.
Otherwise, this could be a white paper for a black future."
 
* "Dead End Road - Climate protection in European freight
transport", available at Greenpeace EC Unit.
 
For further information, please call:  Michael Johann 
                    43 (1) 713 00 31 45 
 
                    Dr. Gudrun Lammers 
                    Greenpeace EC Unit 
                    32 (2) 736 99 27 
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive