150 statues to say NO to CO2 emissions

The marble features of some of Rome's most famous statues were obscured by gas masks on Thursday as part of a protest against traffic pollution organized by Terra!
Under the slogan "The statues say NO to pollution from CO2 emissions!," the group "Terra!" are lobbying for the European Union to reduce the ceiling for cars' carbon dioxide emissions.
The masks and "CO2" placards appeared overnight on statues of saints, poets, angels and emperors in piazzas and on bridges throughout the capital, before being removed by the authorities.

Last night 150 statues all over Rome decided to protect themselves from another day of pollution from the exhaust gas of cars by wearing gas masks and protesting with signs against CO2 emissions. This is the message sent out by 30 activists with Terra!,  a new environmentalist association in the Italian and international panorama, which has held a press conference this morning  to present a campaign for energy efficiency in the car industry, together with a network of eleven European environmentalist associations coordinated by Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE).

Terra! is present in 16 Italian cities and has over 200 activists. It is an independent association with no political party affiliation, that wants to defend the environment by working throughout Italy and through international campaigns.

Terra! calls for a European law that limits CO2 emissions of new cars to 120 grams per km by 2012, 80 grams per kilometre by 2020 and 60 grams by 2025.

"The European Union had already planned to establish the limit of 120 grams by 2005 - said Daniel Monetti - but the procedures have been  suspended in view of the car industry's commitment to radically lower emissions, a commitment which the industry has not adequately maintained.  Indeed, there has been an increase in the supply of increasingly large and powerful vehicles, as shown by the increase in sales of 4x4s."

The emissions from vehicles for private use (cars and vans) are responsible for about 80% of the European consumption of oil, and for the increase in European dependence on oil. "Europe must commit to protect the interests of all its citizens" concluded Monetti.  

In March 2007 the European governments committed to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 20-30% by 2020. Reducing fuel consumption and consequently CO2 emissions of new cars is the single most effective measure to combat the greenhouse effect, reduce our dependence on oil and at the same time invest in low impact technology.  

"Biofuels, or rather agrofuels, are a false solution - said Sergio Baffoni - The energy efficiency of vehicles is the resaponsibility of car manufacturers and must be achieved, irrespective of the type of fuel used." The massive increase in monocultures such as palm oil and soya threatens the last forest ecosystems on earth. "Deforestation and drainage of peat-bogs is likely to release much more CO2 into the atmosphere than these practices save - concluded Baffoni - And we cannot underestimate the impact on food security of this new market, which directly competes with the already poor food resources in the poorest countries".

Terra! appeals to all citizens and invites them to participate actively in its campaign by reporting illegal advertising. Most car advertising appears to contravene European Directive 1999/94/CE adopted with D.P.R. 17-2-2003 n. 84, according to which information on fuel consumption and CO2 emissions must be "easy to read and must be as visible as the main information supplied in the promotional literature". Instead, these indications are normally lacking or are printed in tiny characters, which are often illegible.