you canīt count europe as a whole...
in germany converters are duty since 1989.
i donīt know how the system in the usa is, but if cars donīt fulfill the exhaust-gas norms (euro 1-4 norm) the owner has to pay more taxes.
this should motivate the people to use "clean" cars.
i think nobody can denie that the usa are the country with the largest emissisions of greenhouse-gases. the usa have the largest economy too, but i think that enviromental protection should also play a role.
ps: what is about the people living near chimneys? if global warming is no reason for you, what about reducing the pollution to get just cleaner air
