Greenpeace names Geneva’s Engines of Climate Destruction

Amsterdam, 6^th March 2008 - As the Geneva car show opened today, Greenpeace activists surrounded several featured models posing the question “what is a good car?” Branding the cars as ‘Engines of Climate Destruction’, Greenpeace is demanding that car makers, politicians and the public rethink what makes a good car, and set themselves on the path to a low carbon future.

“For a century the car industry has sold us a dream of faster, bigger, heavier automobiles. The climate crisis means the new century requires a new dream of cars. The industry has to find a new answer to the question ‘What is a good car?’.” said Greenpeace campaigner Helen Perivier.

Greenpeace is calling on the public to vote on the ultimate ‘Engine of Climate Destruction’ and to cast a vote on the following nominees: the Flex Fuelled Volvo 70F, the Renault Clio 2.0, BMW 135i , The VW Golf Plus Comfortline 1.4 , and the Toyota Landcruiser 4.0 v6 Executive.

Twelve years ago European carmakers promised to bring down average emissions to 140g/km by 2008-9. But car manufacturers’ progress in putting their cars on a carbon diet has come to a virtual standstill, while their promises have proven no more than a tactic to delay binding standards. ¹ Despite the fact that wider use of existing technology and alterations to product ranges could make a huge difference in a short time, car makers continue to evade their responsibility to confront climate change.

Greenpeace is calling on the EU to impose a fleet wide average fuel efficiency standard of 120g CO₂ per km by 2012, and to reduce this to 80g by 2020. Since car makers have failed to take the lead in meeting this challenge governments must act to bring about these changes.

 “The world doesn’t just need concept cars, it needs immediate reductions in the fuel consumption of normal petrol consuming cars. The manufacturers claim to be offering choice, but really they’re just hiding behind some token green models and blaming the driver.” said Greenpeace policy advisor Franziska Achterberg.