NEW: Ultrafine particles (UFPs) from planes are putting 52 mn Europeans at risk of serious health concerns.

The WHO has been warning about the negative impact of aviation on human health for more than 15 years, but policymakers continue to ignore the problem.
🧵 More than 10% of Europeans live within 20km of the 32 busiest airports, with risk increasing the closer you are.

In many cities, communities living near airports tend to be lower-income, showing once again that the most vulnerable in society are most affected by air pollution
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NEW: Battery-electric is now the most popular powertrain for new city buses in the EU.

Data for 2023 shows electric buses reached 36% of new city bus sales, overtaking diesel as the main bus powertrain type in the EU for the first time.
🧵 At this growth rate, 100% of new EU city buses could already be zero-emission by 2027.

But EU regulation is falling behind market realities. CO2 standards for HDVs require 100% only by 2035. The Clean Vehicles Directive sets even less ambitious procurement targets.

There's a large gap between the officially reported CO2 of cars and what they actually pollute.

That's according to the first set of 'real world' data published by the EU Commission - an important step in understanding the climate impact of cars🎉

🧵on what the data says⬇️ The data shows that there is a large 20% gap between officially reported and real world CO2 emissions.

For petrol cars, which make up the majority of ICE sales, the gap stands at 24%.

Of the big carmakers, Renault is the worst performer with a huge 30% gap.
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REVEALED: Formula 1 lobbied for Saudi against the EU phase-out of petrol and diesel cars, documents obtained by @source_mat show.

The law doesn’t affect F1 cars but its sponsor Aramco is relying on combustion engines to keep open a market for its fuels
🧵
tortoisemedia.com/2023/12/07/f1-… @Source_Mat F1 met two Commissioners responsible for the EU Green Deal and three MEPs on the powerful Environment Committee.

Their pitch: E-fuels “have the potential to be a more effective technology in the fight against climate change” than EVs... which is not true.
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Don’t believe the myths peddled by the oil and gas industry – they’re pushing Frankenstein fuels to keep alive the diesel engine and delay the switch to electric trucks.

Let’s unpack the 7 most common myths about fuels and e-trucks used to discredit zero-emission lorries.
🧵 ‘Sustainable biomass and e-fuels are plentiful’

Many of these fuels are still being made from unsustainable crop biofuels like palm oil, while e-fuels take 3x as much electricity to produce than just directly electrifying trucks. 2/

Two weeks ago #ReFuelEU – the world’s largest green fuels mandate for aviation – was signed into law.

The law will require the increased use of sustainable aviation fuels (#SAF) by European airlines.

But what exactly is SAF… and how will ReFuelEU increase our use of it?
🧵 Aviation is tricky to decarbonise.

Electric planes are not a feasible solution in the short-term because of their heavy batteries and hydrogen planes are not yet available.

The sector is growing at an unsustainable pace meaning an increase in the quantity of jet fuel needed
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Flying is the fastest-growing source of transport-related GHG emissions in the EU ✈️📈

Air traffic is returning to pre-pandemic levels, while railway stations are being closed down due to a lack of demand.

Why do people overwhelmingly choose planes over train journeys?
🧵 Price is the No. 1 reason people choose to fly rather than take the train.

A recent study from @GreenpeaceEU found that rail is, on average, twice as expensive as flying.

Those routes that are cheaper by rail are often serviced by bad or slow connections.
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A solo traveler could save up to €65 on a night train from Amsterdam to Madrid return with changes to the way trains are taxed 🌙🚆

Trains have a climate impact nearly 28x less than planes - but high cost is putting off consumers.
🧵 Budget airlines get huge incentives from the government that keep prices cheap.

Trains should benefit from similar measures to keep them competitive.
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Today the @Europarl_EN is discussing the future of the EU’s flagship #Euro7 pollution rules for 🚗 and 🚛

@EP_Environment MEPs must oppose the watering down and loopholes that the lead MEP wants to insert into new rules to slash toxic pollution and protect citizens's health.
🧵 Today’s Euro 6 trucks emit up to 8x the legal limit for toxic NOx pollution when driving in cities.

Yet @AlexandrVondra wants to scrap new test requirements for trucks and weaken pollution limits, putting truckmakers’ profits ahead of people’s health.
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transportenvironment.org/discover/euro-…

The growing use of animal fat biofuels in European transportation is an unsustainable way to meet our renewable energy targets.

Energy companies need to provide more transparency so that consumers know the source of the fuel powering their cars or planes.
🧵

-Posted by OneUp The use of animal fat biodiesel has doubled in the past decade and is 40 times higher than it was in 2006.

Major airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air are sourcing higher quantities of sustainable aviation fuel, but the origin of these fuels is often suspect. 
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Aviation and shipping have the fastest growing emissions in EU transportation, while road transport still makes up a majority of the sector’s emissions.

Decarbonising transport must be a priority as member states develop their national climate plans for Fit for 55.
🧵 EU member states will submit drafts for their 10–year National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) next month to the Commission.

These plans have never been more critical - poor planning could mean missing key climate markers and the EU failing to meet its climate targets.
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NEW: Corporate cars have a massive role to play in the EV transition, but they remain off the EU’s climate agenda.

What would it mean if Europe were to set a 2030 battery electric target for company cars?
🧵 Company cars make up 58% of new cars in the EU, but since they are driven at a higher frequency than private cars they account for 76% of emissions from new cars.

This means that corporate fleets offer an efficient way to drastically reduce emissions from road transport.
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PHEVs seem ideal - battery for local trips, engine for long distances - but tests on three models reveal this is a myth. They must be taxed based on their real-world emissions, not their marketing claims 🧵👇 T&E tested three of the newest generation of PHEVs - a BMW 3 Series, Peugeot 308 & Renault Megane - on a typical city and commuter route and from both a full and uncharged battery.

Living in dreamworld: why international aviation emissions have no chance of being addressed at UN @icao level

🧵
@eaTransport @EURACTIV @CarbonMrktWatch

euractiv.com/section/aviati… For decades, the #aviation industry has long resisted all but ineffective international regulation on emissions.

The UN body @icao has only agreed to regulations that promote growth📈and has done nothing to reduce emissions.

BREAKING: Carmakers’ indirect emissions are 50% higher than reported.

Car manufacturers are misleading investors who face a ticking 'carbon bomb', as mandatory disclosure of Scope 3 (lifetime) emissions is set to kick in next year.

Here's why shares in carmakers are so toxic🧵 2/ EU will require that financial institutions disclose their Scope 3 emissions in 2023. This will hit asset managers with exposure to carmakers.

Unlike manufacturers of mobile phones, say, the majority (98%) of a carmaker's emissions come under scope 3 – primarily the use of🚗

Who benefits from cutting petrol and diesel taxes?

Rich people with large, polluting cars who drive the most:

In 🇳🇱 the richest 10% drive 36,000km a year and need 2,600 litres of petrol
vs
The poorest 10% who drive 2,500km and buy 190 litres Instead of subsidising the rich to drive big cars, EU finance ministers should agree *targeted social measures* to help low-income households that rely on cars to get to work

eg, the 5% of drivers in 🇩🇪 and 9% of drivers in 🇫🇷 who are 'forced car users'

The greenwashing of gas, a fossil fuel, as a sustainable investment has been kicked to long grass⚠️

Why does this spell trouble?🚨It creates new political alliance:

🇫🇷 Gov batting for nuclear industry
+
🇩🇪Gov fighting for gas lobby

#EUTaxonomy THREAD👇
euractiv.com/section/energy… Now gas advocates🇩🇪 and pro-nuclear🇫🇷 have the opportunity to join forces and classify their preferred energy source as sustainable🧐

Gas is a fossil fuel🚨

Labelling it a 'sustainable' investment will syphon funds meant to support the green transition and #EUGreenDeal