POLIS calls for tighter van CO2 limits in order to drive electrification

POLIS has joined a coalition of cities, companies, and environment and public health campaigners in a joint letter calling on EU decision-makers to put vans on a credible path to zero-emission and increase the CO₂ reduction. As currently drafted, the EU Commission proposal doesn't demand manufacturers to raise their sales of electric vans above a 10% share before the end of the decade.

A group of cities, hauliers, companies, health and civil society organisations  just published a public letter to MEPs and EU governments. POLIS is part of this coalition, which also includes POLIS members Gothenburg, Paris, and Rotterdam ,as well as Tilburg, Haarlem, Dublin, Palermo, Walbryzch, European Clean Truck Alliance, Clean Cities, Transport & Environment, European Respiratory Society, European Public Health Alliance, C40 Cities, and Climate Group/EV100. 

The group (which brings together more than 600 companies and organisations) calls now on lawmakers to strengthen the European Commission's proposed van CO2 limits for the 2020s.

"POLIS has long been working with our members to create innovative sustainable urban logistics solutions. Through EU-funded projects and our close relationship with the logistics industry body, ALICE, we have brought public and private stakeholders together for concerted action. However, decarbonisation of the freight sector needs to be placed front and center; this is why POLIS joins this call for action", says Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General at POLIS.

This coalition advocates all new vans be zero-emission from 2035, and urges policy-makers to uphold the European Green Deal climate ambition for all vehicle categories and to make urban transport drastically less polluting. Reducing oil dependency and accelerating the transition to zero-emission mobility is urgently required.

Yet, more leadership is needed to roll out clean vans by 2035 successfully. ''Vans emissions are the fastest-growing climate problem in road transport, and we will face unprecedented challenges in reaching our emission targets if action is not taken immediately. Our businesses, health, air, and planet cannot afford to continue having this problem overlooked.", states in the letter.

"Urban mobility has to become clean, and that has to happen fast. Much faster than before. It's not a technical issue; it's a moral imperative, we must protect people from serious health problems. With the fast growth in urban deliveries, curbing the emissions of vans is becoming more important every day. POLIS cities and regions are pushing for this, but they can't do it alone. Leadership at the European level is also indispensable. And so is leadership at the industry level." - Karen Vancluysen

Read the full letter here.