Solutions
Climate and
transport
What kinds of transport do you use? Cars, trains, buses, boats and planes that burn oil-based fuels are responsible for around a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions.
Solutions exist!
Fortunately, new technologies are helping to make transport more climate-friendly. By reducing traffic and pollution, they are making our cities cleaner, too.
On the road to cleaner transport
Over 70 % of transport emissions in Europe come from road transport, but thanks to EU CO2 emission standards, vehicles are becoming less polluting.
The EU has some of the toughest standards in the world and is continuously working to strengthen them. For example, in 2021, CO2 emission standards for new cars in the EU will be more than 20 % stricter than in 2015.
Many countries including the US, Canada, Japan and China have also introduced CO2 standards.
Electric feel
Hybrid cars have a fuel engine for long trips and a battery-powered electric one that kicks in on short, stop-start journeys.
Battery electric vehicles do not have a fuel engine at all – and when powered by renewable electricity they do not emit any CO2.
Change is in the air
Aviation is one of the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU has laws in place to reduce aviation emissions from all flights within Europe and is working with the international community to develop measures that cover the whole world.
TOP TIP
Explore alternatives to flying.
Flying is the fastest-growing source of CO₂ emissions from transport. Consider taking the train if you are only travelling a few hundred kilometres or less.
Carbon offsetting
Carbon offsetting is when you calculate the amount of carbon an activity – for example a long- distance plane ride – releases and then pay an organisation to reduce emissions elsewhere, or in some cases plant trees. It sounds good, but some people say it is better to try harder to create less carbon in the first place.
What do you think?
Monitoring the shipping industry
Emissions from the global shipping industry amount to around 1 billion tonnes of CO2 a year, accounting for roughly 3 % of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions.
The EU has adopted laws for monitoring emissions from large ships using EU ports.
