Air Pollution Standard Backed By MEPs Is ‘Worse Than Useless’ - CleanTechnica
The recent EU Parliament vote for a weakened Euro 7 emissions standard has drawn sharp criticism for enabling the greenwashing of dirty vehicles. Instead of significantly improving air quality protections, the new rules largely maintain existing limits for petrol cars and severely weaken standards for trucks and vans. This regression allows manufacturers to market vehicles as "clean" without delivering meaningful reductions in harmful pollutants like nitrous oxide. The legislation’s diluted testing conditions and delayed implementation mean that real-world emissions will not be strictly monitored or enforced. By reverting to less rigorous standards similar to the previous Euro 6 norm, lawmakers have removed crucial safeguards against pollution. Consequently, the standard fails to protect public health, potentially contributing to thousands of premature deaths while giving the automotive industry a regulatory cover for maintaining high-polluting engines. This case highlights how political compromises can undermine environmental regulations, allowing industries to exploit loopholes for marketing gain. It serves as a critical example of greenwashing, where superficial compliance with watered-down laws creates a false impression of ecological responsibility. The situation underscores the urgent need for transparent, scientifically grounded standards to prevent regulatory frameworks from being weaponized to obscure the true environmental impact of automotive emissions.
Source: cleantechnica.comPublished on 2023-11-13