Energy Is The Missing Link At Sochi

No end of Facebook and Twitter posts have been denouncing the gay rights situation in Russia, linking it to the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Stray dogs have been rounded up and destroyed, leading to further dismay online. Journalists have made us laugh with their tweets on the awful hotel accommodation in Sochi.

It’s the Fuel Economy, Stupid!

Source: Volkswagen

A breakfast debate hosted this week by Green Party MEP Carl Schlyter with NGO Transport and Environment made the business case for stricter van CO2 and fuel efficiency standards.

As oil prices rise, fuel has become a significant business cost but it is also a significant environmental cost.  According to a Transport and Environment Position Paper, “Vans are one of the fastest growing sources of transport CO2 emissions, increasing by 26% between 1995 and 2010 and now accounting for 8% of EU’s total road transport emissions.”  Parcel services, most of which use LCVS (Light Commercial Vehicles) - vans - are estimated to grow by 6% until 2020 due to the rise in e-commerce.  Taking these two factors into consideration, it makes good business sense for a business to invest in a fuel-efficient van, at least on a long-term basis.