While the big carmakers are worried about falling sales, some companies are doing well.

Fiat has bucked the trend with rising European sales in September compared to the same time last year. Apparently consumers in France are choosing smaller cars. It could be a case of simple economics rather than a concern about reducing their carbon footprint. Whatever the reason the planet wins out. According to the Guardian the increased demand for small cars is fuelled by the French "Bonus Malus" scheme that rewards consumers who buy more efficient cars and gives a financial penalty for gas guzzlers.

Fiat's sales have gone up 43% in France. That's 43% more small cars sold than last year. And what's even more surprising is that French car makers Renault and the Peugeot Citroen group already make small cars. So the patriotic French are moving away from French cars to even smaller foreign cars, giving a clear signal that the people want to drive more fuel efficient cars.

If only we could find a way of getting car makers all over Europe to sell the kind of cars that people clearly want to buy - smaller cars that are cheaper to run and better for the planet. Some sort of Europe-wide law that sets targets for fuel efficiency, with penalties for car makers that don't hit the mark. What would that look like?

Discussions on the legislation are continuing in the EU this week. ACEA releases its September sales figures on Wednesday. Let's hope the politician can put two and two together and come up with an answer that will help the climate.