Policy Dossier
Climate Change
The transport sector is at the front line to meet the Lisbon target of sustainable economic growth and a 20% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020, therefore it is very concrete policy decisions that are needed at present.
The transport sector accounted for 23.8% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and for 27.6% of CO2 emissions in 2006. In the past decade, freight transport has grown faster than the GDP. No other sector has experienced such a high growth rate of emissions as transport between 1990 and 2006.
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Therefore, if the EU is serious about meeting its emission targets for 2020, it will thoroughly have to reconsider its transport policies. This involves more than anything promoting a modal shift from road and air- the largest and fastest growing emitters of CO2 - to rail as the most environmentally friendly mode of transport. Adequate charging schemes for all modes of transport, including their external costs will have to be devised so as to reflect the real cost of transport.
For more information, please contact:
Virginie Poirier
Economics Advisor
+32 2 642 23 29
UNIFE Links
To access UNIFE's News Release "European Parliament sends clear message: Trucks should pay for pollution and congestion they cause" (11.03.2009) please click here
To access UNIFE's News Release "Rail sector welcomes publication of “truth about trucks” study" (15.01.2009) please click here
To access UNIFE's Publication "Mega-Trucks versus Rail Freight" (11.08.2007) please click here
To access UNIFE's Publication "Mega-Trucks versus Rail Freight" (22.07.2008) please click here
To access UNIFE's recommendation to the EC on trains and CO2 emission (March 2009) please click here
To access the UNIFE position paper on sustainable industry (September 2007) please click here
External Links
To access the EC website on climate change please click here
To access the Copenhagen Conference website please click here
To access statics about transport and CO2 emissions please click here
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