The main goal of this year's European Mobility Week, which took place in 25 Slovenian municipalities between 16 and 22 September, was to reduce the amount of road traffic in order to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Radovan Tavzes of the Environment Ministry said.
Speaking at a news conference, the head of the environment directorate at the ministry said that transport emissions in Slovenia had doubled between 1986 and 2003. While greenhouse gas emissions caused by transport in Slovenia do not exceed the EU average, which stands at 20%, the underdeveloped public transport system means that such emissions are mainly caused by people commuting to work, Tavzes explained.
Pointing out that eight EU documents dealing with emissions reduction have been transposed into Slovenian legislation, Tavzes believes that they have been inadequately implemented, especially the one dealing with fuel retailers having to sell biofuels.
According to Tavzes, the reasons lie in the lack of biofuels production possibilities in Slovenia and the EU's high demands, which call for 80,000 tonnes of fossil fuels to be replaced with biofuels by 2010.
Tavzes believes that the act on fuel excise duty, currently being discussed by the government, will increase the consumption of biofuels, as it will also exempt biofuels produced outside Slovenia from excise duty.
He revealed that the European Commission is also drafting a proposal on gradually increasing the emissions tax, which states that by 1 December 2008 at least 25% of all budget revenues from vehicle taxes should come from emissions tax.
By 2010 this share is to increase to 50%.
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