Almost two hundred countries committed to reducing greenhouse gases under the Paris Agreement. Their pledge is to limit the rise in global temperature to less than 2 degrees - and pursue efforts to keep that rise to 1.5 degrees.
The debate about transport fuels decarbonisation is a key issue in the ongoing recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). The EU has a unique opportunity to design a framework that will drive the most sustainable alternative fuels in transport for the period 2020-2030 and beyond.
Before the expected revision of the car CO2 regulation at the end of 2017, this all-day conference will discuss post-2020 CO2 standards for cars and provide a high level stage for policy and technical exchange.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has created an offsetting measure for the aviation sector which aims to compensate for emissions growth above 2020 levels.
The role of Southern and Mediterranean European countries in these processes is important, as they have the power to weigh in favour of ambitious reforms. Facing similar climate challenges at the national level, they can also set an example by promoting innovative and progressive practices that can inform European policy processes, and especially the ESR.
Trucks are less than 5% of all road vehicles but emit around 30% of road transport CO2 emissions in the EU. Also in Germany heavy duty trucks and buses account for 30% of road CO2 emissions and this is projected to grow during the coming decades.
The Platform for Electro-mobility is a growing collaborative, multi-stakeholder initiative to accelerate the transition towards sustainable transport by means of electro-mobility. In the framework of the discussions on the “Clean energy for all Europeans” package, the 25 members believe that electro-mobility is one of the main levers to achieve the European Union’s goals to decarbonise the economy, increase energy security and foster innovation and competitiveness in Europe’s core industries.
The aviation sector, both in Europe and internationally, is a top polluter that has not contributed to European climate objectives under the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to the same extent as other sectors. The European Commission recently published a proposal revising the sector’s participation in the EU ETS. The proposal followed the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) decision to establish a global offsetting measure for aviation which will enter into force in 2021.
If done correctly, charging road users for their use of road infrastructure can contribute to the reduction of emissions from the transport sector. The European Commission is currently preparing its proposal for the review of the Eurovignette directive, which sets the parameters by which member states can toll roads. This revision provides an ample opportunity to link the Directive with Europe’s ambition to transition to low-emission mobility.
Cars and trucks are the top consumers of palm oil in Europe. Palm oil consumption in Europe is driving deforestation in many parts of the tropics such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Congo Basin, and lately in South America too. It’s an environmental problem that also causes social upheaval.What role does the EU play in this? How is Europe’s biofuels policy contributing to this problem? What are the solutions?