Progress of EU transport sector towards its environment and climate objectives.
Date: 2019-01-18
Institutions: European Environment Agency
Subjects: EU environmental policy, Europe, environmental indicator, environmental protection, greenhouse gas, reduction of gas emissions, transport market

Transport

Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM)

Progress of EU transport
sector towards its
environment and climate
objectives

Emissions from the EU transport sector are not reducing enough to limit its environmental and

climate impacts in Europe. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport have increased over

the last three years, whilst average CO2 emissions of new passenger cars increased for the first

time in 2017. The sector remains a significant source of air pollution, especially of particulate

matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide, although these emissions have been reduced in the last decade.

It also is the main source of environmental noise in Europe.

GHG emissions from transport have been increasing since 2014. By 2016, transport emissions

were 26.1 % higher relative to 1990. Preliminary estimates from EU Member States show that GHG

emissions from transport were 28 % above 1990 levels in 2017.

The average CO  emissions of new passenger cars slightly increased for the first time since data

2

monitoring started. Meanwhile average CO  emissions of new vans continue to fall, with the largest

2

annual reduction occurring in 2017. However, considerable reductions still need to take place in the

coming years to meet the EUs 2020/2021 targets.

The use of diesel remains dominant in Europe, representing 67 % of total fuel sold for road

transport use in 2016. However, more petrol passenger cars than diesel cars were sold in 2017 (for

the first time since CO  monitoring for passenger cars started).

2

The EU's share of renewable energy in transport rose slightly from 7.1 % in 2016 to 7.2 % in

2017. It remains well below the 10 % target set for 2020 under the EUs Renewable Energy

Directive. Just two Member States (Austria and Sweden) have already reached the 10 % goal.

Electric cars are slowly penetrating the EU market. Despite significant increases in sales in 2017,

battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) represent only 0.6 % and

0.8 %, respectively of new passenger car registrations in the EU.

Transport continues to be a significant source of air pollution, especially of PM and nitrogen

dioxide, although these emissions have been reduced in the last decade due to the introduction of

fuel quality standards, the Euro vehicle emission standards and the use of cleaner technologies.

Road traffic is the most widespread source of environmental noise in Europe.

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This briefing, based on the 'Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) indicators
of the European Environment Agency (EEA), tracks the short and long-term environmental
performance of the transport sector in the European Union (EU). It also assesses progress made
toward key transport-related policy targets. The EEAs TERM indicators have been monitoring
progress in integrating environmental objectives in transport since 2000.

The EU's transport sector is not on track towards its
climate goals

Transport is a key economic sector in Europe. Reducing the pressures it exerts on the
environment and climate is therefore critical to achieve the long-term vision of the EU's Seventh
Environment Action Programme (7EAP), 'living well, within the limits of our planet'. The European
Commissions 2011 Transport White Paper sets out an indicative target of a 20 % reduction from
2008 levels by 2030 and a 60 % reduction in transport GHG emissions by 2050 compared to 1990.
The more recent European strategy for low-emission mobility reiterates this target and identifies
priority areas for action (EC, 2016). Specific targets, relevant to the performance of the transport
sector on climate, are presented in the following pieces of EU legislation:

the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC), which sets a 10 % share of renewable

energy in the transport sectors final energy consumption for each Member State by

2020;

the Regulations on CO  emissions from new passenger cars (443/2009) and new light

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commercial vehicles (510/2011) setting average emission limits of 95 g CO /km by

2

2021 (new cars) and 147 g CO /km by 2020 (new vans).

2

In addition, the Fuel Quality Directive (98/70/EC) sets out reporting requirements relating to the
quality of petrol and diesel fuels sold for road transport in their territories. Member States shall
require suppliers to reduce gradually the life cycle GHG emissions per unit of energy from fuel and
energy supplied by up to 10 % by 31 December 2020.

The latest data available on past trends show that the EU transport sector is currently not on track
to reach the policy targets on total GHG emissions over the last four years, on average CO
emissions from new cars for the first time in 2017, on oil consumption, and on energy use from
renewable sources (see Table 1). However, average CO  emissions from new vans seem to be
on track to meet the 2020 target.

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objectives

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Transport GHG emissions are increasing

[1]

Between 2007 and 2013 emissions decreased each year. Since this period GHG emissions from
transport (including international aviation but excluding maritime shipping ) have been increasing.
They now account for around one quarter of the EUs total GHG emissions. By 2016, transport
emissions were 26.1 % higher relative to 1990. If preliminary data for 2017 is considered, they
were 28 % above 1990 levels. However, the increase in transport GHG emissions is below the
expected target path until 2016 (see table 1). This increase comes despite improvements in the
efficiency of transport vehicles and is broadly in line with increases in the level of economic activity
 as measured by gross domestic product (GDP)  as well as increases in demand for both
passenger and freight transport. The transport sector remains the only main European economic
sector in which GHG emissions have increased, when compared with 1990 levels (see Figure 1).

Road transport accounts for 82 % of the transport GHG emissions and one fifth of the EUs total
GHG emissions and have grown since 2014.  The second and third Mobility Packages proposed
by the Commission in November 2017 and May 2018 respectively include legislative initiatives on
road transport vehicles and infrastructure. The initiatives focus on the reduction of GHG emissions
and air pollutant emissions and aim for a broad take up of low-emission alternative fuels and low-
emission vehicles on the market.

A comparison of the 2017 GHG emission levels with the 2030 indicative goals for transport
outlined in the European strategy for low-emission mobility shows a further reduction of 16 % is
necessary. Moreover, the long-term 2050 target (EC, 2011) requires a reduction of more than two-
thirds of emissions compared with 2017 levels (see Table 1). See further information in TERM002.

GHG emissions from international aviation have more than doubled since 1990 and were almost
30 % higher in 2017 than in 2000. Emissions from the sector have increased over each of the last
5 years (2013-2017), at an average rate of over 2 % each year.

In October 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) agreed on a basket of
measures to address emissions from international aviation, including the Carbon Offsetting and
Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). CORSIA is a global market-based
measure aiming to stabilise CO  emissions from international aviation at 2020 levels by requiring
airlines to offset the growth of their emissions after 2020. The environmental effectiveness of
offsets depends on robust implementation to ensure that the emission reductions delivered would
not have occurred in the absence of the scheme.

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 Figure 1. EU GHG emissions in the transport sector, 1990–2017

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250%

200%

150%

100%

50%

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National total GHG
emissions

National total GHG
emissions (proxy)

Transport

Transport (proxy)

International Aviation

International Aviation (
proxy)

International Navigation

Other UNFCCC
sectors (aggregated)

Other UNFCCC
sectors (proxy)

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

Data sources:

a. EEA. National emissions reported to the UNFCCC and to the EU Greenhouse Gas Monitoring

Mechanism

b. EEA. Approximated greenhouse gas emissions in 2017

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 Table 1. EU progress in meeting selected transport goals on energy and climate

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objectives

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Notes:

(a) Preliminary data for 2017

(b) EU-28 excl. Croatia until 2013. EU-28 from 2014 onwards. Data for 2017 is provisional.

(c) In the case of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU, 2009a) target, Eurostat published for the first time (2011 data)

the share of biofuels in transport energy use which meet the sustainability criteria of the Directive. The huge increase

between 2011 and 2012 (increase by 40.8 %) is explained by the fact that in previous years the new sustainability

criteria were not fully applied. The system for certifying sustainable biofuels is increasingly operational across all MS.

For each target or goal, the base year and corresponding value serve as a starting point for the target trajectory. For

the target on transport GHG emissions, the trajectory corresponds to the preferred policy option defined in the 2011

Transport White Paper to reach the objective. For the other objectives, the EEA assumes a linear trend towards the

target, starting from the base year. The table provides only a selection of transport goals. Others cannot yet be fully

monitored due to a lack of data and/or the complicated nature of the evaluation required.

Red-coloured cells means that the observed value exceeds the target path in the particular year, whereas green

means that the observed values are in line with the target path. The red colour in the column Latest annual trend

means that the last annual change did not follow the direction of the target.

GHG emissions from shipping are 10 % below 2005 levels
but need a further decrease of 34 % from current levels
by 2050

After they peaked in 2008, GHG emissions from maritime bunker fuels (or fuel use in ships in
relation to international transport) sold in the EU decreased by almost one quarter during the period
2009-2014 2014, largely a result of the economic recession. However, since then, these emissions
have followed an upward trend, amounting to 147 Mt CO  in 2016. This is still 10 % below 2005
levels. In order to reach the 40 % reduction 2050 target compared with 2005 levels (EC, 2011),
GHG emissions from shipping need to a further decrease by 34 % from 2016 levels.

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A new system for monitoring, reporting and verification of CO  emissions from maritime transport
(established by Regulation (EU) 2015/757) started in 2018, introducing obligations to report data on
annual maritime GHG emissions and other relevant information.

2

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted, in April 2018, its Initial Strategy to reduce
GHG emissions from ships of at least 50 % by 2050 compared to GHG emissions in 2008.

Average CO  emissions for new vans continue to fall,
although no improvements for new passenger cars

2

Specific emissions from newly registered passenger cars have decreased by 15 % between 2010,
when monitoring under the current regulation started, and 2017. The 2015 target of 130 g CO /km
was met in 2013, 2 years before the deadline. However, provisional data show that average
emissions slightly increased by 0.4 g CO /km in 2017, the first increase since monitoring started.
In 2017, petrol passenger cars became the best-selling vehicles in the EU, constituting almost 53
% of sales. Diesel cars made up 45 % of new registrations.

2

2

2

Monitoring of CO  emissions from new vans started in 2012. In 2017, according to provisional
data, average emissions decreased by 7.7 g CO /km compared with 2016, which is the largest
annual decrease since 2012. During the 2012-2017 period, average specific emissions decreased
by 24 g CO /km or 13 %. In order to meet the 2021 target of 95 g CO /km for passenger cars and
the 2020 target of 147 g CO /km for vans, average CO  emissions will need to decrease further
by almost 20 % for new passenger cars and around 6 % for vans.

2

2

2

2

2

See further information in TERM017.

Reducing oil consumption for transport remains
challenging

Transport remains very dependent on oil, with oil-derived fuels accounting for 95 % of final energy
consumption in transport. After reaching its peak in 2007, transport oil consumption (including
maritime bunkers) decreased continuously until 2013, when it reached 11 % below 2007 levels.
This was due to improvements in energy efficiency, the impacts of the economic recession that
caused a subsequent decline in transport demand, and a period of high oil prices after 2010. Since
2014, oil consumption from transport has been following an upward trend at an average rate of 1.7
% each year. In 2016, it was 4.8% below 2008 levels.

Within the sector, road transport accounts for the largest share of oil derived fuels, as it was
responsible for 77 % of total consumption in the EU in 2016. Despite a decrease since 2007,
energy consumption from road transport in 2016 was still 26 % higher than in 1990. The fraction of
diesel used in road transport has continued to increase between 2000 and 2016, from 51 % to

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more than 67 % of total fuel sales in road transport. This confirms an increasing dieselisation of
Europes vehicle fleet over that period.

In order to reach a 70 % reduction in oil consumption from transport compared with 2008 (EC,
2011), the additional efforts needed remain challenging. Even though the EU was on the target path
until 2014, it exceeded the projected downward target trend in 2015 and 2016, due to an increase in
energy consumption in road transport and international aviation. Transport oil consumption will
need to fall by more than two-thirds to meet the objectives of a 70 % reduction of oil consumption
by 2050.

See further information in TERM001.

Only two Member States have achieved a 10 % share in
renewable energy in transport

Under the Renewable Energy Directive, all EU Member States must achieve a 10 % share in
renewable energy consumption by 2020 in the transport sector. Only those biofuels complying with
the sustainability criteria under the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive are
considered for this target. According to preliminary EEA estimates for 2017, the proportion of
renewable energy use in transport grew from 7.1 % in 2016 to 7.2 % in 2017. At the EU level, the
trend in renewable share remains well below the target path to reach the 2020 goal. The share of
renewable energy in transport varied across countries, from 30 % (Sweden) to close to 0.4 %
(Estonia). Austria and Sweden are the only two Member States which have already reached the
goal of a 10 % share of energy from renewable sources in transport by 2020.

Renewable energy in this sector comes overwhelmingly from biofuels (close to 90 %), with
electricity still playing a limited role. A higher share of renewable electricity use in the transport
sector would reduce the pressure on biofuels to reach the EU's 10 % target (EEA, 2017).

See further information in TERM031.

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The electrification of road transport increases but
remains overall limited

Electric vehicles are anticipated to be a key component of Europes mobility system, helping
reduce impacts on climate change and air quality. The largest potential reduction in GHG
emissions lies during the use of the BEV. However, it will depend on the electricity mix (i.e. the
average mix of fuels used to produce electricity, which affects the carbon intensity of the
electricity). Whereas the life-cycle emissions of a BEV using electricity generated from renewable
sources could be almost 90 % lower than an equivalent ICEV (IEA, 2017), BEVs charged with
electricity generated from coal currently have higher life-cycle emissions than internal combustion
engine vehicles (ICEV). In addition, while BEVs have zero exhaust emissions and thus contribute
to improved air quality, non-exhaust emissions (from tyre and brake wear, and road abrasion), as
well as emissions from energy production, still occur. In the future, with greater use of lower
carbon electricity in the European mix, GHG emission savings, as well as advantages in terms of
air quality of BEVs relative to ICEVs will increase (EEA, 2018).

Electric cars are slowly penetrating the EU market. BEVs comprised 0.6 % of total new passenger
car registrations in the EU in 2017. This is a 51 % increase in just one year. Sales of PHEVs
increased by 35 % in 2017 compared with 2016. PHEVs represented 0.8 % of total new passenger
car registrations in the EU in 2017. Most Member States in Europe have introduced financial
incentives for the purchase of electrically charging vehicles and are encouraging consumers to
choose cleaner vehicles. Among Member States, Sweden, Belgium, Finland had the highest sales
of BEVs and PHEVs in new passenger car fleet.

See further information in TERM034.

The transport sector has significantly reduced its
emissions of certain air pollutants

Between 2000 and 2016, the transport sector significantly reduced emissions of certain air
pollutants: sulphur oxides (SO ), nitrogen oxides (NO ), and PM emissions. This was due to the
introduction of fuel quality standards, the Euro vehicle emission standards and the use of cleaner
technologies. With the exception of aviation, all modes of transport contributed to the decrease.

X

X

Transport is responsible for more than half of all NO  emissions and significantly contributes to the
total emissions of the other air pollutants. Road transport, in particular, continues to make a
significant contribution to emissions of NO  (37 %).The contribution of road transport to harmful
NO  concentrations, especially in urban areas, is considerably higher, because emissions occur
close to the ground and mainly in densely populated areas.

X

X

2

While emissions from road transport are mostly exhaust emissions arising from fuel combustion,

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non-exhaust releases contribute to both non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs)
(from fuel evaporation) and primary PM (from tyre- and brake-wear, and road abrasion). While
emissions of PM  from road transport have declined by 50 % since 2000, the relative importance
of non-exhaust emissions has increased since the introduction of vehicle particulate abatement
technologies reduced exhaust emissions.

2.5

See further information in TERM003.

Noise pollution from transport significantly affects more
than 100 million European citizens, particularly at night

Noise pollution is an important environmental health problem in Europe, with road traffic being the
most widespread source of environmental noise in Europe. According to the latest data reported
under the EUs Environmental Noise Directive, around 100 million people are exposed to average
sound levels of 55 dB or higher during the day, evening and night for road traffic noise, 20 million
for railway noise, 4 million for aircraft noise and 1 million for noise caused by industries. Similarly,
road traffic is by far the biggest source of environmental noise during night time, affecting around
75 million people, followed by rail with 15 million people, air with 1.5 million people and industrial
noise with 0.5 million people. While aircraft noise does not affect a wide geographical area, it is
typically perceived as more annoying and sleep disturbing than other sources at the same noise
levels.

See further information in TERM005.

Further reading – TERM indicator fact sheets

TERM001: Final energy consumption by mode of transport

TERM002: Greenhouse gas emissions from transport

TERM003: Emissions of air pollutants from transport

TERM004: Exceedance of air quality objectives due to traffic

TERM005: Population exposure to environmental noise

TERM017: Average CO  emissions from newly registered motor vehicles

2

TERM020: Real change in transport prices by mode

TERM021: Transport fuel prices and taxes

TERM031: Use of renewable fuels in transport

TERM032: Size of the vehicle fleet

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TERM034: Electric vehicles as a proportion of the total fleet

TERM039: Passenger and freight transport demand

Endnote

[1] GHG emissions from international aviation and from international maritime shipping are not included in official

national total GHG emissions, but are reported separately as memo items. However, the calculation of transport GHG

emissions presented here includes emissions from international aviation, as those emissions are covered by the EU

domestic targets on GHG emission reductions for 2020 and 2030. > Back

References

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CEEweb, 2011, 'Land Use and Green Infrastructure' ( http://www.ceeweb.org/wp-
content/uploads/2011/12/landuse_factsheet_GI.pdf ), accessed 9 November 2018.

EC, 2011, Commission Staff Working Paper, Impact Assessment accompanying document to the
White Paper Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area  Towards a competitive and
resource efficient transport system, SEC(2011) 359 final, SEC(2011) 391 final, COM(2011) 144
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EC, 2016, Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the
European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions (COM(2016) 501
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IEA, 2017, Task 31: Fuels and Energy Carriers for Transport. Hybrid and Electric Vehicle
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EEA, 2017, Renewable energy in Europe 2017: recent growth and knock-on effects, EEA Report
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energy-in-europe) accessed 25 October 2018.

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EEA, 2018a, Approximated European Union greenhouse gas inventory: Proxy GHG emission

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estimates for 2017, European Environment Agency, accessed 25 October 2018.

von der Lippe, M. and Kowarik, I., 2008, 'Do cities export biodiversity? Traffic as dispersal vector
across urbanrural gradients', Diversity and Distributions 14(1), pp. 1825.

Identifiers

Briefing no. 15/2018

Title: Progress of EU transport sector towards its environment and climate objectives

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Published on 22 Nov 2018

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