ID :
187219
Wed, 06/08/2011 - 12:31
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/187219
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Seoul to regulate car emissions from next year
SEOUL, June 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Wednesday it will begin regulating greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles for the first time next year as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gases.
The government will enforce the regulation in steps with a goal of making all new vehicles meet the government-set auto-emissions standard, which is 140 grams per kilometer, by 2015, the Environment Ministry said.
All domestic and imported cars with 10 passengers or less are subject to the regulation, it said, adding that the measures will reduce emissions by 12.2 percent from 159 grams per kilometer in 2009.
The transportation sector accounts for 16.2 percent of South Korea's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the regulation, 30 percent of cars sold to local consumers in 2012 should meet the emissions target, the ministry said. The percentage will then rise to 60 in 2013 and 80 in 2014 and ultimately reach 100 percent in 2015, it said.
"With the regulation, a total of 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide is expected to be reduced during the 2009-2020 period," said the ministry in a statement. "It will also save 1.2 billion liters of gasoline, worth 2.4 trillion won (US$2.2 billion), and 400 million liters of diesel oil, worth 720 billion won."
The ministry said that it will give incentives to green car makers and allow them to carry the remaining percentage forward to next year.
It also said that it will come up with follow-up measures to offer incentives to consumers who buy low-carbon vehicles.
South Korea is one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters, emitting 594 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2005, ranking ninth among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to government data.
Seoul earlier announced a plan to introduce the system in stages starting in January 2013 for its long-term goal of cutting emissions by 30 percent by 2020 under a "business as usual" scenario. The target amounts to a 4 percent reduction from the 2005 level.
The government will enforce the regulation in steps with a goal of making all new vehicles meet the government-set auto-emissions standard, which is 140 grams per kilometer, by 2015, the Environment Ministry said.
All domestic and imported cars with 10 passengers or less are subject to the regulation, it said, adding that the measures will reduce emissions by 12.2 percent from 159 grams per kilometer in 2009.
The transportation sector accounts for 16.2 percent of South Korea's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Under the regulation, 30 percent of cars sold to local consumers in 2012 should meet the emissions target, the ministry said. The percentage will then rise to 60 in 2013 and 80 in 2014 and ultimately reach 100 percent in 2015, it said.
"With the regulation, a total of 3.7 million tons of carbon dioxide is expected to be reduced during the 2009-2020 period," said the ministry in a statement. "It will also save 1.2 billion liters of gasoline, worth 2.4 trillion won (US$2.2 billion), and 400 million liters of diesel oil, worth 720 billion won."
The ministry said that it will give incentives to green car makers and allow them to carry the remaining percentage forward to next year.
It also said that it will come up with follow-up measures to offer incentives to consumers who buy low-carbon vehicles.
South Korea is one of the biggest greenhouse gas emitters, emitting 594 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2005, ranking ninth among member nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), according to government data.
Seoul earlier announced a plan to introduce the system in stages starting in January 2013 for its long-term goal of cutting emissions by 30 percent by 2020 under a "business as usual" scenario. The target amounts to a 4 percent reduction from the 2005 level.
