Driving Down Road Emissions

Decarbonisation of road transport featured prominently in a report to Parliament entitled "Meeting carbon budgets - the need for a step change" published on 12 October 2009 by the UK Climate Change Committee (the "Committee"). Recommendations on transport are summarised in this article together with synergies drawn between wider UK Government proposals as well as those of the EU Commission. The findings of the report will be of particular interest to the automotive, cleantech, energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors.

EU position It is reported that between 1995 and 2005, goods and passenger road transport in the EU grew by 31.3% and 17.7% respectively. This growth is predicted to continue. CO2 emissions from the road transport sector are 30% higher than in 1990. "Sustainable mobility" (that is decoupling mobility from its harmful effects) has been at the heart of the EU's Transport Policy for several years. In its 2006 review of a 2001 White Paper, the EU Commission pointed to the need to use a broad range of policy tools, ranging from economic instruments and regulatory measures to infrastructure investment and new technologies in order to achieve sustainable mobility. Electric and hybrid road vehicles in particular were identified as the most viable alternatives to conventional road vehicles. The fleet average (that is average CO2 emissions to be achieved by a car manufacturer over its various models) to be achieved by cars registered in the EU, starting in 2015, is 130 grams CO2 per kilometre (g/km). These views are picked up in the Committee report and are also widely supported by other European governments which have introduced various national measures.

UK position and the Committee Report Decarbonising road transport is seen as instrumental in helping the UK meet its targets of reducing CO2 emissions by 26% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. It is estimated that around 35% of overall UK carbon emissions are derived from domestic transport and, out of that, 58% of the emissions derive from cars.

The Committee calls for a reduction of 25% in road transport emissions by 2020 (based in 2007 levels) with the following step changes taking place:

A long-term target of 95 g/km by 2020 from the current 158 g/km for UK cars 240,000 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids deployed by 2015, and 1.7 million by 2020, supported by appropriate battery recharging infrastructure 3.9 million drivers trained and practicing eco-driving by 2020. To achieve...