The European Union is driving significant changes in its road transport policies. The cornerstone of these efforts is the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.
Ambitious Emissions Targets
The primary goal is to slash transport-related greenhouse gas emissions. The EU aims for a 90% reduction by 2050. As an interim step, the plan targets a 55% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. These goals extend to strict regulations addressing CO2 emissions from new vans and heavy-duty vehicles.
Milestones and Key Strategies
The EU’s roadmap for sustainable road transport includes concrete milestones. These include a target of at least 30 million zero-emission cars on European roads by 2030, and nearly complete adoption of zero-emission for new cars, vans, buses, and heavy-duty vehicles by 2050. Electrification and cleaner fuels are central to achieving climate neutrality across Europe by 2050.
Transition Challenges and Opportunities
While efficiency improvements and biofuels have partially offset emissions, increasing vehicle numbers, and a rising – albeit small – share of electric vehicles has mitigated gains. Accelerated adoption of electric vehicles will depend on charging infrastructure development, and its sustainability requires clean electricity production.
Euro 7 Standards and Air Quality
A key part of the European Green Deal is the European Commission’s proposal for new Euro 7 standards. These standards will reduce vehicle pollutant emissions, thus improving air quality. The EU also has implemented new testing procedures for passenger cars. This will allow for better measurement of vehicle emissions than past measures.
Beyond Efficiency: A Systemic Transformation Needed
Achieving true sustainability in road transport demands more than just incremental improvements. The EU recognizes this requires a comprehensive transformation of the entire mobility system. This includes re-evaluating mobility needs and leveraging public transportation, active mobility options, and cleaner modes of transport.
