Car emissions rising due to imported guzzlers, says report
Car sales are still rising in Switzerland.
Keystone
New cars imported into Switzerland have not been respecting the prescribed norms on CO2 emissions, with emission levels actually rising in 2017 and 2018, says a report published on Tuesday.
This content was published on
1 minute
Keystone-SDA/jc
Nearly half of importers failed to meet compulsory targets in 2018, according to the Federal Office of the Environment’s report for parliament. Total sanctions ordered against them came to CHF31.7 million ($32.3 million) in 2018 compared with CHF12.6 million in 2015.
Regulations introduced in 2012 obliged importers into Switzerland to limit CO2 emissions to an average of 130g per km, as in the European Union. That norm was compulsory from 2015 to the end of 2019, and has now been reduced further to 95g of CO2 per km.
But between 2015 and 2019, the target was never met and even reached 137.8g per km in 2018, which was up 2.8% on the previous year.
The rise in emissions can be explained partly by an ever-increasing proportion of off-road vehicles and SUV models, plus an increase in the weight of vehicles, says the report. The decrease in the share of diesel-powered vehicles may also have contributed to these results.
Transport generates about one-third of CO2 emissions in Switzerland, and private cars are responsible for two-thirds of that share. In 2018, 301,000 new cars went on the road, according to the report. The proportion of four-wheel drive vehicles on Swiss roads has continued to rise, from 24.9% in 2006 to 49.1% in 2018.
More
More
New cars produce more CO2
This content was published on
Newly registered cars in Switzerland emitted more CO2 in 2018 than the previous year, due notably to a boom in sales of four-wheel drive vehicles.
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Rhine could warm by up to 4°C by 2100, scientists warn
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
Defence Minister Pfister stresses importance of Swiss mission in Balkans
This content was published on
During a visit to the Balkans region last week, Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister met Swisscoy peacekeeping troops in Kosovo.
Premiere for Swiss Air Force on French National Day
This content was published on
On July 14, the Swiss Air Force will take part in the traditional air parade in Paris to mark the French bank holidays with an F/A-18 fighter jet. This is a first for Switzerland.
Swiss launch competition for memorial to Nazi victims
This content was published on
The victims of Nazi Germany are to be commemorated on the Casinoterrasse in Bern. A competition will be held to determine what the site will look like.
This content was published on
The cantonal police of Graubünden in eastern Switzerland have arrested and convicted five cocaine dealers in Chur within a week.
This content was published on
The Swiss business umbrella organisation Economiesuisse and the employers' association broadly support the package of agreements negotiated with the European Union.
Switzerland to become climate neutral by 2050, says government
This content was published on
Switzerland should become climate neutral by 2050, the Swiss government has declared. It has tightened its target based on new IPCC findings.
Critics demand greater efforts to reduce CO2 output
This content was published on
Annual greenhouse gas emissions dropped slightly in 2017, according to the latest figures by the Swiss government’s environment agency.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.