2015-11-03
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation's annual report, released today, confirms the urgent need to act on vehicle emissions.
Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and climate change spokesperson, said:
"As well as noting that clean transport has officially become 'cool', the CEFC CEO states that 'Australia's average fuel economy is among the lowest in the world'.
"It's exciting that the CEFC is helping to finance the take up of low emissions, hybrid and electric vehicles.
"But we also need mandatory fuel emissions standards in Australia, like those that exist in Europe, the USA, China, India and Japan, to speed up this transition.
"While Australian VW, Audi and possibly Porsche owners are taking VW to court using consumer law, we don't have any mandatory fuel efficiency laws in our country.
"With no standard in place, Australia is at risk of becoming a dumping ground for inefficient fuel guzzlers, which leave drivers wasting money on fuel.
"The Greens have a bill in the Senate which would bring our fleet to up to the European Union's 2020 standard by 2023, saving Australian drivers about $850 a year in fuel for new cars.
"Reducing vehicle emissions is the lowest cost way to cut climate pollution, so is a big win for the climate, as well as for air quality and the cost of living," Senator Waters said.