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WALES IS GREEN LOOK-YOU
publication date: Jul 8, 2007
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Wales is setting an example to the rest of Britain when it comes to green credentials says the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.
Announcing the results of this year’s survey into promotion of green issues, Greg Archer from the LCVP said Wales had been one of the worst parts of the country for green promotion 12 months ago.
But in the last year it had turned itself around and dealers in Wales were now leading the way in telling car buyers how green or polluting were the vehicles they proposed to buy.
Car showrooms now exhibit leaflets on the new models showing their fuel efficiency and CO² levels. The SMMT published its annual report focusing on CO2 and the new car market.
At a launch event in central London, stakeholders from industry, government, NGOs and the media heard about progress in cutting CO2 and challenges for the industry.
SMMT has produced a bite-size overview which is available from the SMMT web site, including some of the following key messages:
Nearly five million tonnes of CO2 have been saved in the last decade through the introduction of more fuel-efficient cars.
In 1997 less than four per cent of the new car market had sub-140g/km CO2 emissions. By 2006, this figure had risen fivefold to 21.5 per cent - one in five models.
Each vehicle made in Britain today requires half the energy to produce compared to five years ago, saving an estimated 700,000 tonnes of CO2 a year.
The industry is committed to open and honest reporting on environmental progress. It was the first to publish an annual sector-wide Sustainability Report in 1999.
Independent studies show that the most effective way to deliver long-term CO2 reductions is an integrated approach - in other words industry, fuel companies, government, NGOs and consumers working together.
Research conducted by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership shows that most new car dealers now display the colour-coded label.
Of the 400 dealers surveyed, 86pc displayed the label, compared to 74pc in a similar survey last year and 65pc of showroom cars were clearly labelled, in contrast to 55pc in 2006.
Introduced in July 2005, as a voluntary initiative, the label features colour-coded bands for CO2 emissions and a guide to annual running costs to help drive home the message that low CO2 emissions and cheaper motoring go hand in hand.
In addition, the survey revealed that more than 240 dealers achieved the target of 75pc of showroom cars displaying the label. Less than 10pc of dealers had no knowledge about what information the label actually shows.
'This improved performance is positive, but we're not where we should be yet,' said SMMT President Graham Smith. 'We will continue to encourage all dealers to include this key information in their showrooms and be crystal clear about explaining to our customers the benefits and relationship between lower carbon and lower-cost motoring.'
SMMT believes that further improvements will be achieved through a partnership approach, and supports the UK Department for Transport's informative Act on CO2 campaign, currently running in the media.
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