Need to decarbonise transport

Policies needed to stimulate behavioural changes.

A recent report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) analyses the evolution of the EU’s transport sector (freight and passengers) and its impacts on the environment since 2000. It notes, for instance, that transport is the only main economic sector for which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have increased over the last few decades.

In 2013, transport accounted for almost one-quarter of the EU’s total GHG emissions (one-fifth excluding international aviation and maritime emissions). Passenger cars contribute almost 45 per cent and heavy-duty vehicles a further 20 per cent of the transport sector’s emissions.

Transport emissions of three important air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) decreased in the period 2000 to 2013. However, particularly for nitrogen oxides from diesel cars, but also for carbon dioxide, there is an increasing difference between official emission measurements done in laboratories and real-world driving emissions.

Another concern is the increasing dieselisation of Europe’s vehicle fleet. The fraction of road transport fuel that is diesel has continued to increase, and in 2014 it amounted to just over 70 per cent, compared with 52 per cent in 2000.

A sharp fall in freight demand occurred after the 2008 economic crisis and, following a limited recovery, freight volumes have since remained largely stable. In 2013, total freight transport was 7.3 per cent higher than in 2000. In the same time period, the number of passenger-kilometres increased by 8.4 per cent.

The report concludes that a decarbonisation of the transport sector will require not just technological solutions but also policies that stimulate significant behavioural changes, including the correct pricing of transport externalities and planning approaches that stimulate the use of more sustainable modes of transport.

Despite EU policies designed to encourage greater use of less polluting transport modes, car transport remains the dominant mode of passenger transport and air transport is the fastest growing mode of passenger transport.

As improvements in energy efficiency alone are insufficient to reduce transport’s environmental impacts, a modal shift must be a central element in the EU’s decarbonisation ambitions. Achieving a modal shift would require significant investments in infrastructure, complemented by other measures to promote more environmentally friendly transport models.

The report “TERM 2015, Evaluating 15 years of transport and environmental policy integration” (Dec. 2015)

In this issue

A 1.5 target is needed to save the Baltic Sea

Effects of global temperature increases on the biodiversity of the Baltic Sea.

CCS in Norway – still a long way from the goal

The CCS project at Mongstad in western Norway was finally cancelled in 2013, causing sarcastic comments about “The Moon landing that failed”.

How to account for emissions of greenhouse gases from imported goods?

Carbon emissions have dropped in many rich countries, Sweden among them. Or is it just that the emitting industries have moved to China? A technical discussion is getting intensely political.

Member states opt for weakening air pollution targets

Compared to the Commission’s proposal, the relaxed targets agreed by member states could result in an additional 130,000 premature deaths by 2030.

The EU should phase out fossil gas

AirClim has published a new report (1) about the need to phase out the use of fossil gas as soon as possible in order to meet the climate targets agreed at the UN Paris Climate Conference in December 2015.

Sanctions missing for ship sulphur sinners

In the first year of stricter standards in the Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) of the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the English Channel, Swedish authorities took 441 ship fuel oil samples. They discovered 15 violations of the sulphur limit, but none of these resulted in fines or other types of sanctions.

New rules on emissions from medium combustion plants adopted

Despite a widespread agreement on the urgent need to cut emissions to improve air quality, existing installations are given very generous transition periods.

Cutting meat and dairy intake is beneficial for health, the environment and climate

Halving the consumption of meat and dairy in the EU would cut agricultural nitrogen losses by more than 40 per cent and GHG emissions by 25–40 per cent.

Sector targets for aviation and shipping wanted

In the absence of additional action, international shipping and aviation will be responsible for close to 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions by 2050.

Europeans still exposed to harmful air pollution

A new report by the European Environment Agency estimates that air pollution continues to be responsible for more than 430 000 premature deaths in Europe.

A new era for the debate on coal phase-out in Germany

2015 was not only the year of the groundbreaking climate agreement in Paris. It also marked a new era in political efforts on a more actively managed phase-out of power generation from coal and lignite mining in Germany.

Explaining vehicle emissions

A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) provides a non-technical guide that describes why, for certain pollutants, vehicles can emit substantially higher emissions on the road than official emissions tested in laboratories.