Let's take pollution off our roads

My partner, Simon Walton and I are looking at updating our current car, a Diesel Subaru Forrester, to an EV. However the upfront costs at the moment make it so prohibitive ….literally impossible. We definitely would like some assurances that the costs will come down in the near future so we can be a part of the climate change solution rather than part of the problem.

Enact standards that: Take effect as soon as possible: Have the standards come into effect as soon as possible, which will be mid-2024, so that we reduce transport emissions from light vehicles now. Be tough on pollution: Require all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035, which is in line with limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree rise. Insure affordability: Ensure that by 2035 all new cars sold in Australia have zero emissions, creating a second-hand market for low-emissions vehicles sooner. Be mandatory and rigorous: Legislate the standards, make them mandatory for all manufacturers, and don’t allow accounting tricks like super credits, offsets etc. that stop the genuine reduction of CO2 emissions.

The transport sector is second only to the power generation sector in Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions. Australians only have to walk down their street, or take their children to school, or be near a liquid-fuelled edge trimmer or leaf blower, to witness, and inhale, the toxic products of our diesel and petrol vehicles and agricultural machinery.
The power sector has seen the shutdown of major coal fired power stations, with the shutdown of others being brought forward. Despite the effort by progressive governments to reduce pollution in the power generating sector, they pay insufficient attention to the increasing amount of exposure to unregulated pollution from diesel and petrol engines.
It is vital that the Australian Government implements world-leading fuel efficiency standards to take effect by, at the latest, mid-2024.
This will require all new internal combustion engines sold in Australia to have zero CO2 emissions from, at the latest, 2035.
This will assist in creating a second-hand market for low-emissions vehicles sooner, and cut airborne pollution.
The Standards must not only be written, but meeting them must be mandatory by law, through strong legislation which will apply to all on-road and off-road internal combustion engines and to all companies intending to sell these engines in Australia. Manufacturers and importers must prove their compliance with these Standards as part of their application to export these products to Australia. The Legislation and its enforcement must not allow accounting tricks like super credits or carbon offsets.

For too long Australians have been missing out on the benefits of cleaner more efficient vehicles: cost savings, cleaner quieter streets, healthier communities, and reduced reliance on foreign oil.

Transport is the second biggest source of climate pollution in Australia and the urgency of the need to electrify our transport system cannot be underestimated.

We must specifically address the enormous problem we have created of bigger heavier and most importantly less economical cars such as SUVs dominating our roads. This will require a range of measures including size standards and weight restrictions to be implemented and enforced. Ultimately we must regulate fuel efficiency standards for both new and used vehicles, for the health and prosperity of all Australians and our precious environment.

Strong robust enforceable standards will make cleaner vehicles more available and affordable to more people in Australia, put our transport emissions in reverse and help keep 1.5 degrees within reach. At a time where cost of living pressures are so high, drivers in Australia are being locked out of affordable EV purchasing as a result of our shortsighted decision not to mandate fuel efficiency standards – until now.

To be effective these must:
Take effect as soon as possible ie mid-2024;
Require all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035 at latest (ideally from 2030);
Be mandatory and rigorous ie legislated, mandatory for all manufacturers, and don’t allow accounting tricks like super credits, offsets etc. that stop the genuine reduction of CO2 emissions.

Sincerely,
Kirsten

High standards of fuel efficiency are critical to preserve our environment, air and health !!

I find it hard to believe that all new cars being sold now are not hybrid, this should have been law 10 years ago and should be law going forward.

I would personally like to buy an electric car but cannot afford current prices, if legislation comes in forcing car companies to reduce their emissions year on year, the price will quickly fall.

It is appalling that Australia is not regulating car emissions. In Europe car registration are linked to the amount of emissions the cars make. Yet Australian’s have no incentives to drive lower emission vehicles, they freely drive large fuel guzzling vehicles on every-day commutes.

The 2022 election was won on the issues of integrity and climate change. To date action on climate and the environment is still lagging. On the issue of fuel efficiency, Australia is way behind the rest of the developed world. Russia and Australia are the only developed nations with no fuel efficiency standards. As a consequence we are last in the queue for more fuel-efficient vehicles and electric vehicles. We have no time to spare, the longer we wait to implement fuel efficiency standards the further behind the rest of the world we become. Strong fuel efficiency standards must be implemented as soon as possible and certainly no later than mid 2024.
To keep global heating as close as possible to 1.5 degrees celsius above pre-industrial levels our fuel efficiency standards must be strong and transparent. They must be aimed at ensuring that by 2030 all new vehicles are zero emissions vehicles. This is not only necessary to safeguard our environment but will help ensure that electric vehicles become more affordable and readily available on the used vehicle market. It is imperative that every endeavour is made to ensure that low (or no) emission vehicles become affordable to the widest sector of the population as quickly as possible. Furthermore it is important that the whole Australian fleet becomes a zero emissions fleet.
Our Fuel Emissions standards must be rigorous and mandatory for all makes of vehicles, with no offsets, no super credits and no loopholes.
I urge the government to use this opportunity to legislate strong, rigorous laws and requirements for fuel efficiency standards in the interests of our economy and future generations.

As we know vehicle emissions are Australia’s second biggest source of climate pollution. What is required by government are stronger fuel efficiency standards.
We need these standards to come into law rapidly to reduce emissions significantly so we can limit global heating to 1.5 degrees.
We also need to ensure that by 2035 all new cars in Australia have zero emissions.
Strict legislation must be passed to ensure that standards are mandatory for all manufacturers and there is a genuine reduction in CO2 emissions.
Yours sincerely,
Alan Hewett & Joan Jones

We live in such a beautiful country, but sadly we are doing our best to destroy it and having ‘dirty’
cars and trucks on the roads is just one of those things we should urgently address!!!!Concerned about the cost ? Well, the cost to our health system, attending to all those people getting sick from breathing in dirty air , and that includes burn offs etc as well, is certainly going to be higher. So it would be good economical sense as well. And it’s not too soon !!! Thanks Regina

We need strong fuel efficiency standards. Australia has been left behind for too long by poor policy and climate denialism. These standards are an opportunity to make up lost ground and pull our weight to reduce emissions.
The standards need to be implemented as soon as possible, to commence the reduction of transport emissions quickly. This will ensure that we are able to meet a vehicle zero emission standard by 2035. We desperately need this action to limit our global heating to 1.5 degrees.
Strong standards will result in an appropriate cost to ICE vehicles. The impacts of burning fossil fuels which end up heating the planet, the resultant poor quality air and human health impacts shouldn’t be free. I would like to see fuel costs and inefficient vehicles accurately priced to reflect the damage they inflict. Strong standard will also support cheaper and more affordable electric vehicles.
The standards need to be rigorous and legislated to ensure they apply to all manufacturers. They need to ensure genuine reductions and cannot allow offsets or accounting tricks.

Could the Australian Government please just get on with doing what is needed, and not what the rich and influential big oil producers pay you to do. It would be a nice change.

Strong fuel efficiency standards now would make cleaner vehicles more available and affordable to more people in Australia and hit the accelerator on taking CO2 off our roads!

Require all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035, which is in line with limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree rise.

Australia has some of the weakest emission standards in the world, we need revised standards to take effect as soon as possible ie the next sitting of parliament.
Australians should be in a position where our next vehicle upgrade is electric, however for millions of people like myself, e-vehicles are still out of range. Please increase subsidies so that new electric vehicles become affordable for the average citizen.

We NEED to:
-Require all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035, which is in line with limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree rise.
-Legislate the standards, make them mandatory for all manufacturers, and don’t allow accounting tricks like super credits, offsets etc. that stop the genuine reduction of CO2 emissions.
-Have the standards come into effect as soon as possible, which will be mid-2024, so that we reduce transport emissions from light vehicles now.

To the Australian Government,

I am writing to express my strong support for the implementation of stringent standards aimed at reducing transport emissions from light vehicles in Australia. It is imperative that we take immediate action to address the pressing issue of climate change, and these standards can play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of the automotive sector.

First and foremost, I urge the government to ensure that these standards come into effect as soon as possible, ideally by mid-2024. Delaying their implementation will only exacerbate the already alarming levels of greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector. By acting swiftly, we can take a proactive stance and make significant progress in reducing emissions from light vehicles.

Furthermore, it is essential that these standards are tough on pollution. I strongly advocate for a requirement that all new cars sold in Australia be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. Aligning with the goal of limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree Celsius rise is crucial for safeguarding our environment and the well-being of future generations. By setting a clear target for zero-emissions vehicles, we can send a strong signal to the industry and drive innovation towards cleaner technologies.

In addition to reducing emissions, it is important to consider the affordability of low-emission vehicles. I believe that by 2035, all new cars sold in Australia should be zero-emission vehicles, thereby creating a thriving second-hand market for low-emission vehicles. This will not only make environmentally friendly vehicles more accessible to a wider population but also encourage a faster transition to a low-carbon transportation system.

To ensure the effectiveness of these standards, I strongly advocate for making them mandatory and rigorous for all manufacturers. Legislation must be enacted to enforce compliance, and it is crucial to prevent any loopholes or accounting tricks that could undermine genuine CO2 emissions reduction efforts. Super credits, offsets, and similar measures should not be allowed to hinder the progress we need to make in achieving a sustainable future.

In conclusion, I urge the government to prioritize the implementation of these standards as soon as possible, set stringent targets for zero-emissions vehicles, and ensure affordability for consumers. By taking decisive action now, we can make significant strides in reducing transport emissions and combatting climate change. Let us seize this opportunity to create a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Australia for future generations.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Jade Peace

Protect our environment at all costs!

Legislate the standards, make them mandatory for all manufacturers!

I want strong fuel efficiency standards to take effect as soon as possible, around mid-2024 so that we reduce transport emissions from light vehicles now.

It is important that all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035, which is in line with limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree rise according to the Paris Agreement.
We must ensure that these cars are affordable for all Australians by 2035. All new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions, creating a second-hand market for low-emissions vehicles sooner.
We must legislate the standards, and make them mandatory for all manufacturers, and don’t allow accounting tricks like super credits, offsets etc. that stop the genuine reduction of CO2 emissions.

With mandatory and rigorous standards all car manufacturers will be bound by law to comply.

It is critical that we have emissions caps on new petrol vehicles as we transition to electric vehicles not only to help reduce our carbon footprint but for the health of the population. We all deserve to breathe fresh air!

Is the daily news of record climatic disasters not sufficient to make the need for pollution control desperately obvious?

I implore the Australian Government to implement world leading fuel efficiency standards to take effect by mid-2024, so that we reduce transport emissions from light vehicles now.
Be tough on pollution: Require all new cars sold in Australia to have zero emissions from 2035, which is in line with limiting global heating to a 1.5-degree rise.
Insure affordability: Ensure that by 2035 all new cars sold in Australia have zero emissions, creating a second-hand market for low-emissions vehicles sooner.
Be mandatory and rigorous: Legislate the standards, make them mandatory for all manufacturers, and don’t allow accounting tricks like super credits, offsets etc. that stop the genuine reduction of CO2 emissions.

The only two countries still without fuel efficiency standards – Russia and Australia! That’s just horrific.

Take effect as soon as possible! Have the standards come into effect as soon as possible, which will be mid-2024, so that we reduce transport emissions from light vehicles now.

We elected a new Government to get on with the transition to a clean future. Our transport system is lagging behind the world having been stifled by an “electric vehicles can’t tow your boat” mentality. What nonsense! It’s time to get out in front and lead the transition.

Australia is woefully behind the rest of the technologically developed world in action on climate change across the range of pressing issues. It urgently needs to implement and enforce strong fuel efficiency standards. Australia is the only OECD country without mandatory fuel efficiency standards for road transport. Unlike the domestic fossil fuel industry, which has been able to largely dictate the current goverment’s policy, there is no domestic car industry. Show some spine.

Transport pollution is 2nd largest source of climate pollution.
Research has shown it is a health risk to us all.
Fuel efficiency standards will make EV’s cheaper and more readily available.
The public needs to be made more aware of health risks related to CO2 and the dangers eg of a large number of cars idling outside schools for up to 30minutes

As long as states, Victoria in particular, keep adding lanes to our freeways or removing rail crossing instead of investing in Public Transport such as train service to Tullamarine or Bullet train to Sydney, Australians will keep DRIVING.

This is long overdue! Get on with it!