Taking The Lead

To gain some traction in the fight against global warming, the mighty European Union is going to legislate car emissions. Make it law, and it will be, and the EU will show us the way.

By 2012, car manufacturers in Europe will have to produce vehicles that emit 130 grams of carbon per every kilometer travelled. That works out to a 25% drop over current levels. Naturally, the car makers are up in arms. Change costs them money, after all. There'll be a general need to re-engineer and make more efficient, and that is not free.

Angela Merkel is on the manufacturers' side. She's worried about the industry, and rightly so, since Germany is dependent on the jobs that Porsche and Mercedes Benz provide. Should cars become more expensive, with a resultant decline in sales, her nation is looking at industry lay-offs and higher unemployment figures. No politician wants that in their district. Some of the more strident environmentalists in the EU are rather annoyed at Germany's attitude, with a desire to protect the auto industry and its bottom line instead of tackling this earth-destroying climate change. Of course, the commissioners keep their jobs during economic downturns, while the peasants go on the dole, so it's easy to talk.

The EU commissioners would also like to legislate for more fuel efficient vehicles while they're at it. Stavros Dimas, the EU environment guru, is thinking of switching to a Japanese hybrid himself, but I've read that the Prius actually spews more carbon dioxide into the air than a standard gas-powered engine. Can't ever seem to get it all, the cake and the eating of it, can you?

Before anyone panics, however, one must realize that the EU wants a manufacturer's product line to reach the reduced emissions standard, not every single vehicle produced. All the auto makers have to do is crank out a few tin cans that don't churn out massive amounts of carbon dioxide. It doesn't matter that no one will buy them, as long as they are available. That way, the wealthy of Europe can continue to tool around in their gas-guzzling pollution-mobiles, dumping scads of carbon into the air, and all is within the law.

The EU commission can trumpet their great success at legislating a reduction in greenhouse gasses, people can continue to drive what they have always driven, albeit at a higher purchase price, and everyone can feel good about themselves.

Meanwhile, the many signatories to the Kyoto Protocol fail to meet its standards. Somehow, it doesn't seem to matter, as long as everyone looks good while they miss the mark.