Spain’s environment ministry is preparing to increase taxes on more polluting cars as a means of combating emissions of climate warming gases, minister Cristina Narbona was reported to have said on Monday.

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“In the first half of the year there will be a package of measures … such as fiscal measures for cars,” she told a breakfast hosted by Europa Press, according to Reuters. “We have to end this period of indefinition.”


The first step had been removing tax credits for new cars with more than 2.5-litre engines, which was approved by parliament earlier this month, she said, according to the report.


Until now, people buying a powerful car have been eligible for the same registration tax discount as those buying more fuel efficient small cars in return for scrapping one more than 10 years old.


Reuters said Narbona did not specify what other taxes there could be. The final decision will be made by the economy ministry.

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The report noted that the environment ministry is encouraging cities to commit to curbing carbon dioxide emissions from transport, as part of its efforts to curb the growth in greenhouse gases.


“The sector where emissions are rising fastest in our country is transport,” Narbona reportedly said.


Vehicle emissions rose 76% between 1990 – the base year for the Kyoto agreement to curb climate change – and 2004, ministry documents show, Reuters said. In 2003, transport churned out more CO2 than the electricity industry.


The news agency added that Spain as a whole is emitting some 50% more CO2 than it did in 1990, while its commitment under the Kyoto protocol is to keep that increase to 15%.