Transport in strong need of renewables

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The white paper on transport requires EU Member States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) from transport by 60% by 2050, compared with 1990 levels. Since emissions increased by 27% between 1990 and 2009, the EU must make an overall 68–70 % reduction between 2009 and 2050.

The EU has a good record on reducing GHG emissions in sectors such as power generation – but not in road transport, the only major sector where they have risen continually since 1990. Road transport contributes about one-fifth of the EU's total emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the main greenhouse gas. While these emissions fell by 3.3% in 2012, they are still 20.5% higher than in 1990. Transport is the only major sector in the EU where greenhouse gas emissions are still rising. The transport sector has not seen the same gradual decline in emissions as other sector...