Even 22K petitions from car owners and citizens across India for mandatory fuel standards fail to move the BEE

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Greenpeace activists dressed as "Climate Cops" act as postmen and deliver 20K petitions signed by car owners and citizens across India to the Director General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Dr. Ajay Mathur, at Sewa Bhavan in New Delhi demanding mandatory fuel efficiency standards, which is the most effective weapon to fight climate change.

Dr. Mathur received these petitions but was as usual non-committal on the issue of implementing mandatory fuel standards. When quizzed by media, he batted for a voluntary norm as opposed to mandatory measures that is the need of the hour - this despite the fact that the national climate action plan treats this issue as priority in its mission statements - by arguing that he clearly recognizes the need for such a measure, but concerns from different stakeholders have to be integrated before the BEE could consider putting such a law in place as the agency does not want the growth of the industry to be choked, since such a measure could have implications to this effect. (Dr. Mathur is available on 011- 26178316)

"For the BEE, the writing on the wall is loud and clear: That India needs mandatory fuel efficiency standards, and needs them desperately," said Brikesh Singh, Greenpeace climate campaigner. "The Director General of the BEE seems to have his priorities wrong. Dr Mathur again showed that the millions affected by climate change are not his priority."

A mandatory fuel economy standard will not only ensure energy security but will be an effective weapon to fight climate change that is the biggest threat to humanity. BEE has simply been sitting on the issue far too long and their proposed voluntary norm is ineffective and just not acceptable.

Responding to Greenpeace snap opinion poll conducted recently by its climate patrol team, 22,000 car owners and citizens from 14 cities across India that have affirmed the need for a fuel efficiency law for the automobile industry, as envisaged in the National Climate Action Plan to combat climate change.

The BEE has been working on this for nearly a year. However, no one has any idea whether the fuel economy legislation will be mandatory unlike the labeling process which is clearly mandatory. Furthermore the whole process of consultation needs to become public so that everyone can understand why a legislation that has been emphasized by the National climate Action Plan released by the Prime Minister of India and the integrated energy policy, is taking so long to be implemented. It s clear that voluntary measures do not stand up to the need of the hour. Voluntary labeling does not drive out inefficient products being sold in the market.  For example, energy inefficient

'two star' refrigerators and air-conditioners are still available in the market.

Greenpeace feels in the absence of any effective intervention from the BEE, automobile makers and their association continue to be engaged in green-washing, as is evident from the a recent brochure released by the Society of Indian Automobille Manufacturers (SIAM).  SIAM's Fuel Economy Information Brochure cannot even be termed a greenwash given that it has precious little. This is yet another attempt by the industry to scuttle the law process.

Greenpeace demands that the BEE, being the nodal implementing agency, should come out, with mandatory provisions and put the onus squarely on auto manufacturers to deploy appropriate technology to reduce CO2 emissions drastically. Vehicular fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions regulation is in practice in different countries including in the EU, China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Why should India lag behind?

"When the world is pulling up its socks to set ambitious targets and is working diligently to cut CO2 emissions, the BEE should exercise the power and authority mandated by the Constitution of India and enforce mandatory fuel standards in order to come out as a clear winner, ending all the ambiguity which has been floating in the air for some time now over which is the body that would announce the law," said Brikesh.