European Alliance calls for stricter CO2 values for vans

A broad alliance of cities, companies, environmental and health protection advocates has called on EU lawmakers for stricter climate targets for vans to increase the supply of zero-emission vans. The group, which includes the cities of Paris, Dublin, Rotterdam, Gothenburg, Palermo, Haarlem, Tilburg, and Wałbrzych, also supports the plan to halt sales of combustion engine delivery vans in 2035.

"Europe urgently needs to reduce its dependence on oil and accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility," states the appeal, which was co-distributed by the environmental umbrella organization Transport & Environment (T&E).

In a letter to Members of the European Parliament and EU governments, the group, which includes more than 600 companies and organizations, calls on lawmakers to tighten the CO2 limits for light commercial vehicles proposed by the EU Commission for the 2020s. In the current version of the proposal, manufacturers are not required to sell more than ten percent electric vans by the end of the decade. The cities argue that the switch to zero-emission vans must happen much faster to clean the air and tackle the increasing climate burden caused by home deliveries.

"Cities need zero-emission vans, and they need them fast. The European Commission's proposal that all new vans must be zero-emission by 2035 is crucial - and welcomed. However, we urge lawmakers in the European Parliament and member states to tighten the proposal and improve the availability of electric vans," appealed David Belliard, Deputy Mayor of Paris responsible for transport and public spaces.

Transport and logistics companies within the European Clean Trucking Alliance deem it essential that lawmakers tighten the targets for van manufacturers and increase the supply of electric vans needed for the shift to zero-emission vehicles. The EV100 Climate Group, which includes companies committed to accelerating the transition to electric vans, believes that businesses need strong policies to support the mass availability of zero-emission vehicles for their fleets. Setting stricter targets for light commercial vehicles is also a significant opportunity to improve air quality, stated groups from the public health sector, including the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and the European Respiratory Society.

Vans as a Major Source of Air Pollution

Light commercial vehicles are a significant source of air pollution, accounting for 14 percent of NOx emissions from vehicles in cities. Spurred on by the boom in home deliveries, light commercial vehicles are also the fastest-growing source of road traffic air pollution, with their CO2 emissions having risen by 58 percent since 1990.

"Now more than ever, Europe must break free from its oil dependence, which helps fund Putin's war. The EU's new CO2 standards for vans are the best way to ensure manufacturers produce more clean, electric vans at lower prices," stated Lucien Mathieu, Deputy Director of Freight at Transport & Environment (T&E).

In their view, the EU Commission's proposed targets would mean a lost decade for environmentally friendly delivery vans if lawmakers do not raise their ambitions. The letter is signed by: Dublin, Gothenburg, Haarlem, Palermo, Paris, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Walbrzych, C40, Polis, European Clean Trucking Alliance, Climate Group/EV100, Clean Cities Campaign, Transport & Environment, European Public Health Alliance, European Respiratory Society.