Portugal led Europe for low-CO2-emitting cars in the first three months of 2008, new analysis showed.
The average new car in Portugal emits 139.3g/km, compared to an average of 154.8g/km for new cars sold across 21 countries in Europe in the first quarter of 2008, London-based Jato Dynamics said on Friday.
France, second with average CO2 outputs of 140.2g/km, is the only other EU country to have achieved the European Automobile Manufacturers Association's (ACEA) 1998 commitment to achieve an average of 140g/km for all new passenger vehicles sold in the EU.
France, which introduced tax incentives at the beginning of 2008, has since seen a marked decrease in average CO2 emissions.
Average vehicle CO2 emissions there fell 5.8% after previously falling only 3% in four years.
Portugal has long led Europe in terms of low emission car on the roads, thanks in part to taxation which has traditionally favoured vehicles with smaller engines.
Other EU countries, including the UK and Germany, are planning similar incentive and taxation schemes - Britain's government has recently faced an outcry over plans to retrospectively apply steep rises in annual 'road tax' for some vehicles bought new as far ago as 2001.
The recent G8 summit focused on technology solutions to CO2 emissions, "but evidence from France and Portugal indicates taxation policies and incentives have a substantial effect in curbing CO2 emissions by proactively influencing consumer choice", Jato said .
While average CO2 emissions of new cars remains outside ACEA targets, the data showed a record decrease in the past year, providing "an outside chance that EU objectives of 120 g/km by 2012 may yet be achieved", the researchers added.
Denmark and Finland both made notable strides by slashing 9.1% and 7.7% respectively off the average CO2 emissions of new vehicles sold in Q1 2008, compared to 2007. Both countries will easily meet ACEA targets if average CO2 emissions continue to decrease at similar rates.
Switzerland and Germany, where strong economies and national preference have traditionally favoured larger, more powerful cars, prop up the list of countries. CO2 emissions of new vehicles in each country dropped by record amounts, but both look set to miss 2012 targets by some way.
"It's encouraging that CO2 emissions have dropped by record amounts almost across the board, but most countries have missed ACEA targets for 2008 and the 2012 targets look very optimistic," Jato added.
"The signs from Switzerland and Germany are that technology can have a significant impact on CO2 emissions in new vehicles regardless of consumer buying habits. Looking across Europe however, our analysis points to an equal emphasis on policy and technology to deliver effective change in the long-term.
"Fuel costs are also set to play a massive role in guiding consumers towards fuel efficient cars."
新的調(diào)查顯示，葡萄牙每輛新車的排放量平均是139.3g/km，與其它歐洲21國平均154.8g/km的新車排放量相比，其在2008的前3個月中在降低CO2的排放方面居歐洲前列。
法國是除了葡萄牙以外，以唯一達(dá)到在1998年歐洲汽車制造商聯(lián)合協(xié)會中承諾的140.2g/km的平均新車排放量而在調(diào)查中位居第二。由于其在2008年初引進(jìn)了稅法激勵制度，從而使CO2的排放量有了顯著的下降。從以前4年年平均3%的CO2排放下降率到今年的5.8%CO2排放下降率。
葡萄牙長期在歐洲低排放率汽車中占據(jù)主導(dǎo)地位還得歸功于其稅務(wù)政策對于小排量引擎的照顧。
其他包括英國，德國等歐洲國家也策劃與葡萄牙相似的激勵政策和優(yōu)惠的稅法制度。英國政府近來面對其追溯計劃中對某些購買于2001年以前的汽車的年費急劇上升的公開抗議。
最近的G8聯(lián)合會聚焦于從技術(shù)方面的方法來解決CO2排放問題?！暗?，從法國和葡萄牙的稅法優(yōu)惠和激勵政策對于控制CO2排放在引導(dǎo)消費者方面起到的積極主動的效果” Jato說。
雖然CO2的平均排放量，仍然未達(dá)到歐洲汽車制造商聯(lián)合協(xié)會所預(yù)期的目標(biāo)。但是數(shù)據(jù)顯示，調(diào)查者補(bǔ)充到：前些年的減少量有了新的突破，歐洲在2012年達(dá)到120 g/km的目標(biāo)最終會實現(xiàn)的機(jī)會非常大。
對比2007年，丹麥和芬蘭今年平均新車CO2的排放量也分別以下降9.1% 和 7.7%值得關(guān)注。2個國家如果繼續(xù)以此效率降低CO2的排放量，將輕松達(dá)到歐洲汽車制造商聯(lián)合協(xié)會的目標(biāo)。
國內(nèi)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)達(dá)和國人傳統(tǒng)的偏愛大型，馬力強(qiáng)勁的汽車的瑞士和德國，支持其它國家的行動。新車的CO2排放量上得到顯著的下降，但是這兩個國家或多或少的可能不能達(dá)到2012年的目標(biāo)。
Jato補(bǔ)充到：“雖然大多數(shù)的國家沒有達(dá)到歐洲汽車制造商聯(lián)合協(xié)會所制定的2008年的目標(biāo)，值得讓人激動的是CO2的排放量總量有了巨大的下降，達(dá)到2012年的目標(biāo)還是讓人很樂觀的?！?/SPAN>
從瑞士和德國傳來的信號表明：盡管消費者的購買習(xí)慣如此，科學(xué)技術(shù)在CO2的排放量的減少上起到了非常大的作用?？v覽整個歐洲，我們的分析家指出了許多在在長遠(yuǎn)層面上，政策和科技同等強(qiáng)調(diào)能夠帶來積極改變。
燃料的消耗在引導(dǎo)消費者購買能有效利用燃料的汽車的時候仍然扮演相當(dāng)重要的角色。
我們國家什么時候才能跟上步伐啊，感嘆！汽車排出來的氣體還是我們自己在呼吸啊。
（轉(zhuǎn)載）
