TRANSCRIPT
They've been dubbed the 'filthy five' by the Climate Council - global car brands causing huge consequences for the environment.
The Climate Council says Toyota’s 2023 new car sales are estimated to produce more climate pollution than 46 coal mines.
The sales of Ford, Hyundai, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, and Mazda have also put them on par with dozens of coal mines.
Dr Jennifer Rayner is the Head of Advocacy at the Climate Council.
"Transport is a major source of climate pollution in Australia and every new inefficient dirty car that is sold will be on our roads for decades adding to that problem. So getting Australian cars to be cheaper and cleaner to run through a new vehicle efficency standard is a great way of tackling the climate crisis."
The government is expected to introduce vehicle emissions standards next year for new petrol and diesel powered vehicles which will bring Australia in line with Europe and many other nations.
It would impose an annual standard, or threshold, of average emissions for all cars sold by manufacturers.
Models above the standard, which the government wants to initially set at 141 grams of CO₂ per kilometre for light cars and 199 grams of CO₂ per kilometre for utes and four-wheel drives, would need to be offset by higher sales of low- or zero-emission vehicles.
The standards would be made progressively tougher each year.
Independent MP Allegra Spender says those standards should have been brought in sooner.
"I've been pushing a fuel efficiency standard since before the last election because we are one of the only two countries in the developed world, along with Russia who don't currently have it and it means that Australian families are getting dirty cars that are more expensive to run. We're getting those dumped on us by the car companies. This is an opportunity to get cars that are cleaner, that are better for the environment and better for our health and cheaper to run on a daily basis."
The automotive industry has not disputed the council's pollution findings.
But Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Chief Executive Tony Weber has disputed the cost savings.
"The cost of that ambition has to be met by someone and with this scheme, that cost is met by the motorist. Broadly, we are talking about either a less ambitious scheme, so that means the same level of reduction of CO2 over a longer time length, or the government needs to think about other ways that reduces the cost of consumers to moving to a low emissions future."
Mr Weber has also suggested similar techniques to those used internationally.
"This is a complex issue and these kinds of comparisons add no value to the actual debate. In other countries they use things like super credits. There are cash incentives for consumers to buy vehicles. In parts of the world where they manufacture vehicles there is subsidisation of the manufacturing process."
The Climate Council says car makers treat Australia as a dumping ground for their most polluting vehicles while offering more efficient vehicles to countries which have emissions control regulations.
But the federal government believes the new standards, due in January 2025, will change this.
