Transport is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and this article delves into the impact of cars, the rise of electric vehicles, and the European Union’s initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions. According to a 2019 report from the European Environment Agency, the transport sector accounted for approximately one-quarter of the EU’s total CO2 emissions. Road transport was responsible for a considerable portion of these emissions, at 71.7%.
Transport Emissions: A Growing Concern
Between 1990 and 2019, transport emissions saw a 33.5% increase—a trend, unfortunately, placing the sector in a unique position as the only one where emissions have climbed in the last three decades. The European Union aims is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 90% come 2050, a challenging plan to implement when current projections suggest only a 22% drop in transport emissions by 2050.
Cars: A Major Source of Pollution
Road transport is responsible for about one-fifth of EU emissions. Passenger cars stand out as major culprits when evaluating CO2 emissions from this mode of transportation by representing 61% of the total CO2 emissions. At the moment average occupancy rate being only 1.6 people per car in Europe in 2018, showing an opportunity to reduce emissions by increasing passenger numbers through carpooling or shifts to public transit, cycling, and walking.
Electric Vehicles: A Cleaner Alternative?
There are two primary approaches to lessen CO2 emissions from cars making vehicles more fuel-efficient or changing the fuels they use. In 2019, most of the cars on Europe’s roads were diesel (67%), then petrol (25%). However, electric vehicles are gaining traction. Sales of electric vehicles—both battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles—have surged since 2017, more than tripling in 2020 when the current CO2 targets were first implemented. Electric vans accounted for 3.1% of the new registered vans in 2021 . To calculate the total CO2 produced by a car, one must consider emissions from its manufacture and disposal, not just those emitted during its use. While the production and disposal of electric cars still have an environmental impact, studies show that, taking into account Europe’s average energy mix, electric cars are already cleaner than those utilizing petrol. Moreover, with the share of electricity from renewable sources set to rise in the future, electric cars are expected to be even less harmful to the environment. The EU has plans to make batteries more sustainable.
EU Targets for Reducing Transport Emissions
The EU has introduced new CO2 emission targets to reduce harmful emissions from passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (vans). The new legislation sets a path towards zero CO2 emissions for new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles by 2035. Intermediate targets for 2030 set reductions at 55% for cars and 50% for vans. The Parliament and EU countries agreed on these rules in October 2022, which were approved by Parliament in February 2023. They still require official endorsement by the Council.
Additional EU Measures
Beyond setting emissions targets for cars and vans, the EU plans to address the following to reduce emissions from road transport:
- Introducing a new emissions trading system (ETS) for road transport and buildings.
- Increasing the share of renewable transport fuels.
- Removing tax advantages for fossil fuels.
- Revising alternative fuels infrastructure legislation to increase capacity.
MEPs are also reviewing other measures to address emissions from planes and ships, which include:
- Including maritime transport in the emissions trading scheme.
- Revising the scheme for aviation.
- Proposing more sustainable fuels for aviation and ships.
Despite these challenges, the EU aims to reduce emissions from transport and achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
