Part 4/9:
To ensure the viability of diesel vehicles in the marketplace, car manufacturers shadowed oil companies in lobbying European governments for tax incentives. Thus instituted, the 1996 Auto Oil program signaled a pivotal shift in policy, articulating the belief that diesel vehicles were essential in reducing CO2 emissions. This was corroborated by a series of voluntary agreements from automakers to lower fuel consumption figures. Governments, lured by the prospect of meeting environmental goals, lowered taxes on diesel fuel and offered businesses incentives for diesel vehicle adoption.