Amsterdam, 14/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - European Ministers for the Environment and Transport met up on Thursday 14 April in Amsterdam, the 2016 European capital of innovation. In their common preliminary reflection, they made an energetic appeal for a green, intelligent and low carbon-based approach to transport for the future. Ministers unanimously thanked Sharon Dijksma, the Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and Environment for the, "fortunate initiative" to organise this joint discussion (see EUROPE 11531).
In their first exchange of views on green and sustainable mobility solutions, Environment Ministers examined ways of speeding up and widening the transition to vehicles using clean fuels, in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions from road transport sector and promote innovative technologies in member states. These technologies are not in short supply.
All the different ingredients necessary for green transport were discussed: innovative automobile technologies, such as highly automated autonomous vehicles that have already been tested in the Netherlands, different kinds of fuels, managing demand in transport, in an effort to organise it better and focus efforts on more difficult areas (urban transport), as well as critical sectors, not only passenger cars but also light utility vehicles, heavy duty vehicles, combustion engines that still need to be improved, even though zero emissions are impossible for this kind of engine.
Mobility and transport are increasing, as well as their negative effects. The EU is committed to the climate targets included in the Paris Agreement and the universal sustainable development objectives. The Commissioner for the Environment, Karmenu Vella, summed up the challenge discussed in the debate and stated that these objectives needed to be taken into account: "We need a holistic vision and approach to greening transport. With the right mix of policies and fiscal incentives, we can improve air quality, reduce noise, make our cities sustainable and foster innovation of mobility technologies and services".
At the Paris climate conference, the different countries agreed to reduce CO2 emissions in all sectors in an effort to respect the 2°C target and shift towards an average 1.5% degree Celsius in global warming. This is a major challenge for the transport sector, which is currently contributing to around a quarter of all CO2 emissions in the EU and will have to reduce these emissions by 60% by 2050, as sought by the Commission in its White Paper on transport. All ministers are aware of this and underlined the need to make rapid progress in the road transport sector in an effort to improve the environment and public health. Commissioner Vella pointed out that "road transport kills a lot more people through the pollution it causes than through car accidents".
There is a need to change the paradigm. In an effort to tackle climate change and develop a low carbon emissions system of transport, ministers also acknowledged the need to change the paradigm and change the mobility mix, as well as improve road traffic management and reduce traffic, in addition to being more efficient and rethinking mobility by using smart and automated vehicle technologies.
Carole Dieschourg, the Luxembourg Minister for the Environment, speaking in the context of the session, pointed out that "We need good legislation". She informed EUROPE that her country was also developing a shift in investment in favour of soft mobility and public transport and that "tax reform will give incentive to have zero emission vehicles. The right incentive at national and European level".
Turning words into deeds, the transport ministers adopted the Amsterdam Declaration, at midday, in order to remove barriers to the circulation of autonomous vehicles on European roads and help their access to the market as from 2019 (see other article).
Karmenu Vella and Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy, Miguel Arias Cañete, confirmed to ministers that the Commission would present the transport decarbonisation strategy by the summer, which it is preparing in response to the demand sent to it from the European Council in October 2014 for examining instruments and measures for a comprehensive and technology neutral approach for the promotion of emissions reduction and energy efficiency in transport, for electric transportation and for renewable energy sources in transport after 2020. 29 June is the date currently envisaged for adopting this strategy. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)