Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., January 14, 2008 Shvat 7, 5768 | | Israel Time: 08:18 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 02:15 06/12/2007 Tax board hopes benefits for green cars will spark a revolution By Yoav Kaveh, The Marker Correspondent Tags: environment, tax, transport  The final conclusions of the committee reviewing the issue of environmental taxation, an interministerial committee headed by the tax authority, are due to be submitted within days. The committee's intention is to spark a green revolution in transportation in Israel, through taxation. Cars that pollute less will enjoy purchase tax and license fee benefits, among other things, while less environmentally friendly cars will be taxed more heavily. The draft refers to additional taxation of NIS 4,000 per vehicle. The draft published by the committee in May of this year included an equation for calculating the environmental damage perpetrated by each car. The equation attributes huge damages to particulates, such as sooty exhaust ¬ 20,000 Euro per ton of gas, and another 10,000 Euro per ton to nitrogen. These two pollutants are produced more heavily by diesel engines, and less or not at all by regular gas engines. On the other hand, the relative weight of carbon dioxide emissions in the equation is relatively low. Since CO2 emissions are directly linked to a car's mileage, and diesel engine cars are 40 percent more efficient on average, they emit less CO2. Although carbon dioxide is a contributor to global warming, it is not poisonous to humans. Advertisement Furious importers of European cars, which offer many models with diesel engines but no hybrid-gas models similar to those made by Japan's Toyota and South Korea's Hyundai models, hired air pollution experts and lobbying firms and argued their case in a hearing held before committee members two months ago. But the committee's recommendation, which remained unchanged after the hearing, is final. It now appears that all of their arguments have been rejected, and diesel vehicles will become more expensive to buy and maintain, and the SUV fad will be stymied. The committee has calculated that offroad diesel vehicles are one of the biggest polluters. According to the committee's equation, a vehicle will receive its green points (between 1 and 100) based on its emitted pollution ¬ the more environmentally damaging a vehicle, the more points it will receive. Diesel-engine Range Rovers received 98 points, the Volkswagen Touareg diesel model received 83 points, and the Toyota Land Cruiser was given 69 points (figures are taken from the committee's draft). European car importers say the conclusions are discriminatory. "The state of Israel has decided that Israel will operate according to European regulations in vehicle-related issues. The European market sees CO2 as the main pollutant, so appropriate weight should be given to it here as well," said one senior executive. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Iranian rhetoric Iranian boats threaten, so the U.S. candidates step up rhetoric. A new citizen Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim takes Palestinian citizenship   1.   Lipstick on a Pig 21:10  |  Yaela Katz 06/12/07   2.   # 1 - Yaela 21:58  |  Robert 06/12/07   3.   #2 Robert. Plug-in hybrids are cleaner than gas 06:59  |  Sam 14/01/08

Today Online Israeli pianist Daniel Barenboim takes Palestinian citizenship Responses: 231 Palestinians sue for NIS 40 million for land taken by settlers Responses: 163 Yossi Sarid: Nice things in U.S., which would do Israel well Responses: 114 Gideon Levy: Time for PM to oust refusers of peace in government Responses: 87 Haaretz.com TV: Gaza parents can't join their sick children in Israel Responses: 179 Rosner's Domain Iranian boats threaten, so the candidates up the rhetoric The way to war with Iran (WTR) From 'The year of change' to 'The year of the comeback'? Rosner's Guest: The Jews are best prepared for a "flat world" Poll: Who is the candidate that will have better policies for Israel? More Headlines 03:07 Barak reaches deal for evacuation of outposts 07:12 IAF air strike kills at least two Jihad militants in Gaza City 01:26 Shin Bet head: More than 800 killed in Gaza in last two years 07:07 Court to hear petition against segregation of sexes on buses 06:35 Court not to issue back-to-work orders for striking lecturers 05:44 PM 'unworried' by Lieberman's threat to leave gov't over peace talks 03:45 Families lament ignorance of Lamed Heh's heroic sacrifice 03:50 PM aide: We'll fire rabbis who refuse to recognize legitimate converts 02:17 Diskin to MKs: Hamas managed to smuggle $100 million into Gaza 04:30 Cops: Mistaken identity behind attacks on elderly millionaire Previous Editions Select Day 13 jan 11 jan 10 jan 09 jan 08 jan 07 jan 06 jan 04 jan 03 jan 02 jan 01 jan 31 dec

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