After delays, threat of legal action, and defense of the German auto industry, Berlin will accept the European Commission’s demand for a cut in CO² emissions
By Honor Mahony
Germany has backed down from a high-profile fight with Brussels over proposed cuts to its greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment minister Sigmar Gabriel said Berlin would accept the European Commission’s demands for a cut in carbon dixoide emissions between 2008 and 2011, according to German daily die Tageszeitung.
“Germany has another basis for its calculations but in the end we are only 2 percent apart,” said the minister adding “We will accept this; to make clear also that we stand behind European emissions trading,”
The commission had asked Germany, as the biggest carbon dioxide producer in Europe, to reduce its emissions limit to 453 metric tonnes, far less than the 482 limit Berlin had originally proposed.
The European Union (EU) last week announced proposed rules that would force European automakers to drastically curb the emissions from their vehicles by 2012 – something manufacturers are finding extremely hard to do using existing engine technologies. The Scuderi Air-Hybrid engine offers European automakers and economically viable solution for the emissions dilemma they are currently facing. In response to the proposed emissions laws, the Scuderi Group’s European headquarters issued a statement to the media asking the industry to further embrace its air-hybrid technology.
Vice President of European Operations, Lutz Deyerling, said in his statement:
 LUTZ DEYERLING
VP of European Operations |
“We read with great concern the recent development from the European Union regarding the state of the European automotive industry’s attempt to bring down the high levels of CO2 emitted from the millions of automobiles on the European roads today. Global warming and toxic emissions have been a serious problem for the many industries that rely on internal combustion engines and it is not surprising - given the current engine technology in use today - that the automotive industry has struggled for years trying to figure out how to solve this.
“However, we at the Scuderi Group believe we have an inexpensive solution that will help the world automakers keep emissions in check while significantly giving automobile consumers a more efficient engine that will ultimately provide major savings in the amount of gasoline needed to drive their cars, trucks, buses and off-road vehicles.
“While the industry struggles for gains in the 1 percent range, the design of the Scuderi Air-Hybrid Technology pushes engine efficiency and performance to an entirely new level. Backed by a world-renowned independent research laboratory, studies on the engine design showed that the Scuderi Air-Hybrid increases efficiency from 33 to 40 percent while reducing toxic emissions by as much as 80 percent. Given these accomplishments, the Scuderi Air-Hybrid is a perfect medium for the European auto manufacturers to reduce CO2 and other toxic emissions drastically - and thus easily complying with the EC regulations.
“In the recent months we have had in-depth talks with various auto manufacturers in Europe, India and the U.S. We believe the recent report from the EU will bring more awareness to the need for new, more efficient engine technologies as well as the cost-effective Scuderi Air-Hybrid Engine. We have worked very hard over the last five years getting the engine ready for use. And believe now is the time for the industry to embrace this solution.”
In the following podcast, Lutz Deyerling speaks with Tim Allik of Topaz Partners about the significance of the EU emissions news:
Lutz Deyerling en Deutsch (Lutz Deyerling in German):
By CONSTANT BRAND, Associated Press
BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission declared war on gas-guzzlers on Wednesday, proposing binding rules to force carmakers to cut carbon dioxide emissions from all new cars sold in the European Union by 2012, arguing the tough measure was needed to fight global warming.
The EU executive’s plan, which faces strong opposition from the car industry, foresees the drafting of lower emissions limits — a cut of 18 percent or 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer from current emissions levels — for new cars sold in or imported into the EU by 2012.
EU officials acknowledged the move would likely lead to higher car prices as they try to force Europeans to adopt greener modes of transport amid growing calls for action to save the environment.
