The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and Luxembourg have called on the European Union to set a date for when all new trucks and buses sold in Europe must have zero carbon dioxide emissions. The European Commission is expected to propose stricter CO2 standards for heavy goods vehicles next month in an effort to comply with the EU’s climate change goals.
The EU has already set more ambitious targets for cars, including a deadline of 2035 for all new cars sold in Europe to have zero CO2 emissions. The four countries have urged the EU to set a 100% zero emissions target for heavy duty vehicles, in line with the EU’s goal of achieving zero net greenhouse gas emissions across its economy by 2050.
“The upcoming revision of the CO2 standards for HDVs (heavy duty vehicles) provides a unique opportunity to send a strong signal to the market and incentivise a timely transition,” the countries said in a joint document published on Friday.
The EU environment agency says that growing demand for freight transport has raised CO2 emissions from heavy duty vehicles each year from 2014 until the COVID-19 pandemic brought a temporary reduction in 2020. Next month’s proposal will replace the current EU requirement for manufacturers to ensure their new truck fleets emit 30% less CO2 in 2030 than in 2019-2020.
