The future of clean transport in Europe

The future of clean transport in Europe

European Commission publishes strategy on clean transport solutions

On 9 December, the Commission published its ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’, setting out its long-term vision for the transport sector and the policies required for achieving it.

One of the strategy’s most prominent objectives is for a 90% reduction in the greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector by 2050. To achieve this, the Commission has set out a raft of measures, notably in relation to:

  • Boosting the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, renewable & low-carbon fuels and related infrastructure. The Commission will propose a revision of CO2 standards for cars and vans by June 2021, measures to support the deployment of renewable and low-carbon fuels, possibly through minimum shares or quotas (through revisions to the Renewable Energy Directive, also planned for June 2021) and measures to boost recharging and refuelling infrastructure.
  • Pricing carbon and providing better incentives for users. This includes ongoing work to considering the case for expanding the existing EU Emissions Trading Scheme to road transport and the development of a harmonised framework for measuring greenhouse gas emissions in transport, to help inform consumer choices.

Frontier has been regularly advising a range of clients on climate and energy policy issues in the transport sector, for example:

  • Designing a crediting system to help boost the deployment of renewable transport fuels
  • Considering the design of support schemes to incentives investment in clean synthetic fuels
  • Comparative lifecycle analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with different vehicle technologies
  • Advising the European Investment Bank on how to ensure Transport Lending Policy is consistent with European climate objectives
  • Developing the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Plan
  • A forthcoming study on the development of a potential EU and German energy tax reform where taxation is based on the carbon content rather than the energy amount

For further information please contact media@frontier-economics.com or call +44 (0) 20 7031 7000.