Comment Particulate Emissions (Score 1) 57
It should come as no surprise that Europe is following this trend. Because fuel prices are up to 4 times of what they are in the U.S., European drivers are more or less forced to drive diesel-powered vehicles. Even the "cleanest" diesel engines spew out a great deal more of particulate emissions than their gasoline counterparts. Not only that, but NOX and other greenhouse gas emissions are also much higher from diesel engines, thanks to the fact that the exhaust is not hot enough to properly activate any catalysts in a tyical catalytic converter.
Add to that the fact that many eastern European countries (not part of the EU but affectig Europe nonetheless) are not very strict with their emissions policies and a large percentage of the population is driving pre-1985 vehicles, many of which do not even have catalytic converters. This trend has also been seen in Mexico (esp. Mexico City), where greenhouse gas levels are insanely high.
Add to that the fact that many eastern European countries (not part of the EU but affectig Europe nonetheless) are not very strict with their emissions policies and a large percentage of the population is driving pre-1985 vehicles, many of which do not even have catalytic converters. This trend has also been seen in Mexico (esp. Mexico City), where greenhouse gas levels are insanely high.
