Skip to main content

Emissions disagreement

Criticisms have been made in Europe over the policy aimed at cutting the EU's transport emissions by 60% by 2050.
February 28, 2012 Read time: 1 min
Criticisms have been made in Europe over the policy aimed at cutting the EU's transport emissions by 60% by 2050. This policy has been revealed as being somewhat optimistic by a majority of Europe's transport ministers. The EU's 27 transport ministers have said that the 2465 European Commission's proposals to cut transport emissions by 60% in 2050 compared to levels recorded in 1990 should not affect commercial competition with either Asia or North America. The issue is a contentious one. While Europe's politicians see the need to reduce the impact on the environment by the transport sector, they have recognised that this could deal a blow to Europe's economic interests. A move away from reliance on fossil fuels is seen as key to a reduction in transport emissions. However, with no single technology yet proving sufficiently robust to provide an assured long term solution, the 60% reduction in transport emissions by 2050 will have to be regarded as a desirable aim rather than a set target.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The new agile world of the construction equipment industry
    June 22, 2015
    while worldwide for 2015 a crystalball would be helpful, in Europe the sector has already listed specific priorities it wants to tackle, and among these are the upcoming emissions regulations (see separate story), external trade and access to foreign markets, and market surveillance.
  • Roads for the future
    July 31, 2012
    Speakers at the 3rd European Road Congress looked at ways of preparing infrastructure to cater for future demands. Patrick Smith reports Road accidents in Europe can be reduced substantially, but vehicles will have to make more use of technology, and they will cost more. The problems will not be made any easier with the knowledge that road transport is set to double between 2040 and 2050. These were just some of the forecasts made at the 3rd European Road Congress, held in Brussels, Belgium, a key road sect
  • EU biofuels strategy ‘criticised’
    July 3, 2012
    A NEW report revealed by the European Commission says that increasing the share of fuel used in transport beyond 5.6% could cause more harm than benefit to the environment. At the end of 2008 the EU agreed to set a target of 10% of transport fuel coming from renewable sources such as biofuels as well as hydrogen and ‘green’ electricity by 2020. The agreement also included a requirement that all new energy sources be sustainable, setting sustainability criteria for biofuels, and is this last point that is p
  • Better road safety reduces Europe’s casualty figures
    October 2, 2014
    Improving road safety in the EU has resulted in a drop in the fatality rate. Official figures just released show that the number of people killed on Europe's roads fell by 8% in 2013. This follows on from the drop in fatalities of between 2011 and 2012 and Europe is on track to halve road deaths in the 2010-2020 period Figures released by the European Commission provide grounds for optimism and Antonio Avenoso, executive director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said, “We welcome the reductio