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UNECE adopts global regulation to measure tailpipe emissions in real driving conditions

UNECE adopts global regulation to measure tailpipe emissions in real driving conditions

Car exhaust

The accurate measurement of vehicles’ tailpipe emissions, a key element in governments’ policy decisions and consumers’ choices to reduce the impact on air quality and the environment, will be significantly enhanced thanks to the adoption today of the United Nations Regulation on global Real Driving Emissions (Global RDE). 

Building up on the existing legislation in Japan and the European Union, the new UN regulation will measure emissions under most driving conditions, thus providing a much more accurate picture of vehicles’ emissions, and complementing measures done in test laboratories.  

Under the Global RDE UN Regulation, emissions in real driving conditions shall not exceed laboratory limits by more than 10 % for nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 34 % for particulate matters. 

The Regulation was adopted by all contracting parties to the 1958 Agreement. In addition to the 57 contracting parties, UN vehicle regulations are often applied by other countries using them as a basis for national legislation.  

The UN Regulation on Global RDE can be used together with UN Regulations No. 154 on emissions from light duty passenger and commercial vehicles, and No. 83 on provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with respect to the emissions of pollutants according to engine fuel requirements. Or it can be used as standalone procedure using the emission limits coming from local laboratory tests as a reference. 

Note to editors  

The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, hosted by UNECE, is a unique global platform responsible for the regulatory frameworks regarding the safety and environmental performance of vehicles, their subsystems and parts.  

The World Forum manages three Global Agreements on vehicles: 1958 Agreement (UN Regulations); 1998 Agreement (UN Global Technical Regulations); and 1997 Agreement (UN Rules on Periodic Technical Inspections). Any country that is member of the United Nations may participate in the activities of the World Forum and accede to the Agreements. 

United Nations Global Technical Regulations (UN GTRs) contain globally harmonized performance-related requirements and test procedures. They provide a predictable regulatory framework for the global automotive industry and consumer associations. They do not contain administrative provisions for type approvals and their mutual recognition. 

The Working Party on Pollution and Energy (GRPE) is one of the six subsidiary bodies of the World Forum. It concentrates its work on defining exhaust, energy efficiency and power measurement procedures for all modes of inland transport in order to limit environmental damage. GRPE will be in charge of the development of the UN GTR on real driving emissions testing. 

 

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

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