“To put it very simply: a cheap vehicle that consumes large quantities of gasoline and produces notable emissions will end up costing the government more than a slightly more expensive, yet efficient, machine,” said Minister of the Environment Keit Pentus explaining the meaning of the regulation. The requirements effecting cars, busses and heavy trucks are based on that logic and help save energy as well as nature. At the same time, the state is giving manufacturers the signal that the development and sale of environmentally friendly vehicles is a lucrative business direction. This in turn provides hope that after a period of time we will be able to move about in cars that are much more efficient than those of today. “The transport sector today creates a large portion of all emissions to the air of greenhouse gasses. It is only natural that the public sector does not stand idly by, but instead places more efficient and less polluting vehicles into use itself. I believe that it is quite difficult for the state to demand green and conservative behaviour from others, if we are not the ones showing the way. We already have requirements for public sector buildings, which must be built to be as energy efficient as possible. The decision taken today is another step in the same direction," said Keit Pentus. The regulation offers three opportunities to take the environmental and energy impact into consideration: requirements may be added to the technical terms and conditions of a procurement, the assessment criteria for a procurement or the effects can be recalculated into money. The organisation will make its own decision on which variant to use. The limits for factors shall be put into place by the supplier. The regulation affects all those conducting public procurements and enters into force after publication in the State Gazette. |
