Confidential documents reveal that the auto industry has started a broad, covert effort that would slow Australia's move to electric cars and undermine a crucial aspect of the country's climate change strategy. Top automotive executives have been briefed on a lobbying and public relations plan that aims to keep new fuel efficiency standards at a level that would leave Australia's auto industry with among of the weakest carbon emission regulations in the whole world. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, the influential top organisation that speaks for 39 automakers, created the campaign, which aims to have the industry's current voluntary emissions programme accepted as the law. According to leaked data, it would imply that new passenger cars sold in 2030 would continue to emit an average of at least 98 grammes of CO2 per kilometre. In contrast, current European guidelines call for 95 grammes of CO2 per kilometre, with a 13-year ban on nearly all new gasoline and diesel vehicles, including hybrids. Most new gasoline and hybrid vehicles will no longer be sold in Britain starting in 2030. In the documents, a schedule of PR activities from now through October is laid out, including a programme of targeted briefings, a green paper for government, a "thought leadership roadshow" that includes roundtables, keynote speeches, newspaper opinion pieces, and a "targeted media campaign." The FCAI aims to position itself to “be seen as a thought leader and trusted voice on reducing emissions”, the documents say. Its PR strategy is to “initiate, shape and appropriately participate in the EV discussion” via its campaign in the next few months. The Australian campaign comes at a time when Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen, encouraged by lower house support for the government's plan to cut emissions by 43% by 2030 last week, is in charge of overseeing the development of a transport emissions policy that will for the first time look at regulating carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/national/revealed-car-industry-s-secret-emissions-plan-would-slow-electric-vehicle-uptake-20220805-p5b7pe.html