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Certified organizations purchase more energy efficient cars than the Dutch average

The average CO2 emissions of European passenger cars has increased by 0,4 percent in 2017 compared to the year before. This was reported by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).

The increase in the average CO2 emissions of European passenger cars is caused by an upsurge in the amount of registered passenger cars with a gasoline engine. The demand for cars with diesel engines has decreased. Passenger cars with a diesel engine emit less carbon dioxide, according to the EEA. The average CO2 emissions of passenger cars with a gasoline engine is 121,6 grams per kilometer, while diesel cars emit 117,9 grams of CO2 per kilometer. However, cars with a diesel engine emit more nitric oxide (NOx) compared to cars with a gasoline engine.

More carbon emissions

In 17 European countries, such as Germany, France and the United Kingdom, the average CO2 emissions of passenger cars in 2017 was higher than the total increase of 0,4 percent. The average CO2 emissions of cars in the Netherlands has increased by 2,27 percent in 2017.

For the first time since 2010, the beginning of carbon monitoring of European passenger cars, the average carbon emissions of vehicles experienced an upsurge. The usage of electrical vehicles in the past year was not sufficient enough to compensate for the increase of the average CO2 emissions as a result of gasoline vehicles. Electrical and hybrid cars have a market share of 1,5 percent of the total amount of cars sold in Europe.

Majority of the organizations certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder purchase more energy efficient cars than the Dutch average

Organizations that are certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder are encouraged to take measures in reducing their carbon footprint and to continuously strengthen their ambitions towards CO2 reduction. Therein, the certified organizations are facilitated with the List of Measures provided by the CO2 Performance Ladder. This list contains CO2 reduction measures based on frequent activities of organizations that are certified on the Ladder. It is obligatory for certified companies to fill in the list with measures they took towards CO2 reduction, which makes the list a practical tool for organizations made possible by organizations. One of the activities that is included in the List of Measures is mobility. Various measures are related to this activity, which are categorized as a standard measure, a progressive measure and an ambitious measure. Organizations are evaluated based on how ambitious they are in the measures they take to reduce CO2.

Based on the List of Measures published in 2017, more and more companies are taking measures towards reducing the carbon emissions as a result of vehicles. The list of measures has been filled in by a total of 722 organizations that are certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder. Research on the list of measures shows that 57 percent of the certified organizations make use of passenger cars that have an average CO2 emissions below 150 grams per kilometer. 38 percent of the organizations has a fleet of cars with an average carbon emissions below 110 grams per kilometer. Moreover, 12 percent of the certified organizations has a fleet of vehicles with an average CO2 emissions that is below 95 grams per kilometer. With this notion, the List of Measures shows that organizations on the CO2 Performance Ladder are actively reducing their CO2 emissions by taking effective measures. More than half of the certified companies are more ambitious at reducing carbon emissions than the Dutch average.