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Car makers face EU crackdown on air conditioners
Brussels, June 23: Automakers will have to redesign the way they cool their cars under new European Union rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle air conditioners, the EU car sector body said on Monday.
Brussels, June 23: Automakers will have to redesign the way they cool their cars under new European Union rules aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle air conditioners, the EU car sector body said on Monday.
The air conditioning proposal is the latest in a string of environmental curbs the European Commission has imposed on the car industry which include tough rules on recycling scrap vehicles and continuously increasing fuel efficiency.
Now the Commission, the EU`s legislation drafting arm, has its sights on air conditioners which it says negate some of the benefits of cars` reduced fuel needs and are an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for causing global warming.
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said air conditioners increase emissions for two reasons: they reduce cars` fuel efficiency and the chemical coolant can escape into the atmosphere where it is a very potent greenhouse gas.
ACEA says carmakers` improved fuel efficiency will reduce cars` annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by between 80 and 100 million tonnes in the EU in 2008, but air conditioners, increasingly popular in Europe even in small cars, will add about 30 million tonnes.
"Manufacturers ... have recognized that especially HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) emissions from mobile air conditioning systems could undermine the efforts spent to reduce CO2 emissions from cars," ACEA said in a recent policy paper.
The air conditioning proposal is the latest in a string of environmental curbs the European Commission has imposed on the car industry which include tough rules on recycling scrap vehicles and continuously increasing fuel efficiency.
Now the Commission, the EU`s legislation drafting arm, has its sights on air conditioners which it says negate some of the benefits of cars` reduced fuel needs and are an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for causing global warming.
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said air conditioners increase emissions for two reasons: they reduce cars` fuel efficiency and the chemical coolant can escape into the atmosphere where it is a very potent greenhouse gas.
ACEA says carmakers` improved fuel efficiency will reduce cars` annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by between 80 and 100 million tonnes in the EU in 2008, but air conditioners, increasingly popular in Europe even in small cars, will add about 30 million tonnes.
"Manufacturers ... have recognized that especially HFC (hydrofluorocarbons) emissions from mobile air conditioning systems could undermine the efforts spent to reduce CO2 emissions from cars," ACEA said in a recent policy paper.
Bureau Report