GHG mitigation strategy in the European transport sector

Transport accounts for roughly one quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in Europe. Transport is the only sector that did not reduce its GHG in recent years. To meet the European and global targets to reduce GHG in industrialized countries by -80 to -95% until 2050 compared with 1990 requires that also the transport sector is put on a pathway to drastically reduce its emissions. The paper demonstrates that with a combined R&D and transport policy strategy reductions of -60 to -70% of GHG until 2050 will be achievable for the European transport sector. The analysis to develop the transport strategy combines an analysis of the innovation system of the transport sector with respect to developing GHG reduction technologies of all modes and a model-based quantitative scenario exercise to assess the transport impacts, economic and environmental impacts of the scenarios. We suppose to support R&D for biofuels for air transport and R&D for cross-modal transport. The policy strategy suggests in early years to focus on road transport (i.e. efficiency of ICE) and in medium time horizon on alternative energy technologies (i.e. electricity and hydrogen both from renewables). Additionally the transport strategy must include pricing measures and ambitious regulations (e.g. ban of fossil fuel cars in 2035).