RSC report on fuel and emissions is launched in model way

The UK will fail to meet emissions obligations unless a "100 gram standard" for new cars is achieved soon, the Royal Society of Chemistry said today in a report.

Unless something is done to rectify its inertia, Britain will not make any cuts in carbon emissions from passenger cars over the next 13 years, says the RSC.

The claims led to The Scotsman, Scotland's national newspaper, inviting Richard Pike, RSC chief executive to write a comment article for its 2 November issue.

To prevent such a failure the RSC today urges adoption of what it calls a "100 gram standard" to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from new passenger cars.

The report claims that under the current policy framework there will be no reduction at all in carbon dioxide emissions from cars on Britain's roads by 2020, by which time, according to the EU Parliament, total carbon emissions are meant to have been slashed by 20 per cent.

The RSC proposed standard of 100 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilometre driven is seen by the organisation as necessary to provide impetus for rapid development and deployment of alternative low-carbon fuels and vehicle technologies.

The other option facing society is that of reducing drastically the demand to travel by car, with all the serious implications for personal freedom that this would entail. Paradoxically, this option would need to be faced at a time when plans have just been mooted for an expansion in UK road building.

The RSC "100" independently mirrors an EU parliamentary vote last week in favour of passenger cars having, by 2020, on average, no more than 95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre driven, down from the current value of 160.

Dr Jeff Hardy, RSC sustainable energy manager, said: "Reducing carbon dioxide emissions from passenger cars is an important part of a wider strategy to reduce emissions from power generation, industrial, transport and domestic sectors. The report summarises experts' views from academia, research and technology organisations, the motor industry, the chemicals industry and other key stakeholders."

Downloadable files

RSC Fuelling the Future - Summary Report Part 1
Based on a series of workshops that were held at the RSC in April and May 2007
PDF (84k)  

RSC Fuelling the Future - Report Part 2
PDF (167k)