Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions caused by traffic on Belgium’s roads are to be reduced by half to 24,000 tonnes by 2025 thanks to stricter tests and “increasingly cleaner” vehicles on the market, Belgium’s Febiac association said on Wednesday in a press release. Febiac, which represents the automobile industry in Belgium, recalled that according to the European Environmental Agency, EAA, about a quarter of all NOx in the air results from automobile traffic.
The big technological improvements made to all vehicles, including diesel cars, the potential of low-emission vehicles and the emergence of two-wheelers, shared mobility and other alternatives are contributing to better air quality,” Febiac CEO Luc Bontemps said.
Latest measurements show that road traffic sends 44,329 tonnes of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. This represents 23% of total NOx emissions in Belgium. Febiac said that, by 2025, these emissions will be reduced to 20,000 tonnes.
The federation stresses that concrete measures can be taken to improve things.
Ahead of the upcoming municipal elections, it recommends permanent tax breaks for low-emission vehicles, an allowance at scrap yards for old diesel cars, an intelligent kilometre-based charge, investment in shared travel, synchronization of traffic lights, use of mobility data, rapid expansion of a dense network of electric vehicle charging stations and development of vehicle-sharing systems.
The Brussels Times
