The workshop, which took place at the IEA headquarters in Paris, was designed to bring together policymakers and automotive experts to examine experience in promoting eco-driving in the transport sector. It also looked at examples of where eco-driving has been successfully integrated into national transport policies.

Eco-driving helps reduce CO2 emissions by enabling the driver to get the maximum performance of a car whist using a minimal amount of fuel.  With studies showing that eco-driving consumers can save up to 10 per cent on consumption, many are keen to see more support for eco-driving activities as part of an integrated approach to the reduction of CO2 from cars.

The Paris workshop was opened by the ITF Secretary General Jack Short, who explained that his organisation was keen to evaluate the success of eco-driving initiatives, and see to what extent they could be integrated into the thinking behind CO2 reduction.  Other key Speakers included representatives from the ministries of the Netherlands, Japan, Austria, Canada, and Germany who each in turn explained the strategy their respective governments were taking and how they were promoting initiatives.  

During the course of the two day workshop delegates listened and discussed evaluation methods and their effectiveness, learnt about eco-driving in modes other than passenger cars, such as heavy goods vehicles, trains and even in shipping, and heard from key stakeholders such industry. 

The FIA used its contribution as an opportunity to profile the activities of many of its clubs.  FIA Clubs are involved in eco-driving activities all over the world, many using the experiences of others to find the most successful teaching method. 

Most notable of these are the activities of Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF), which, with the support of the FIA Foundation, has produced an eco-driving pack that has been distributed to the world-wide club network.  The Pack, which contains data on the benefits of eco-driving, an educational DVD and a teacher’s guide, aims to support clubs who would like to teach eco-driving principles to their members. 

The FIA further used the opportunity to give the ITF an idea of some of the projects it will be conducting during its policy year on the environment. Most notable of these is the recommended 10 points for greener motoring which form part of the ‘Make Cars Green’. 

The workshop itself was unanimous on the benefits of ecodriving, with most of the stakeholders reporting savings of up to 10 per cent and even sometimes as high as 20 per cent in consumption post training. It was also shown that the cost per ton of CO2 saved made eco-driving one of the most exciting and economically viable CO2 mitigation methods.

Next on the ITF agenda is a high-level stakeholders meeting in January 2008 which will be attended by the newly appointed FIA Secretary General Susan Pikrallidas and the Director General of the FIA Foundation David Ward.  During this meeting, questions relating to the greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector will be discussed. 

The results of this meeting and the results of the eco-driving workshop will be used as input for the ministerial meeting of the ITF that will take place next May in Leipzig, where the FIA has been invited to participate as one the major global stakeholders on the issue.