Transport
Lobbyists create speed bumps for vehicle emission cuts
One question in light of the vote on CO2 standards for vehicles is the role that lobbying played. To say that our lawmakers were led by the nose seems cynical. But to believe that lobbying had no affect seems naive.
NGO biofuel claims are harming climate, energy and food security aims
Environmental NGOs have been quick to attack the green credentials of biofuels, with some calling for fuels from crops to be curtailed. But their criticism ignores objective evidence, writes James Cogan.
Tesla puts India entry plan on hold after deadlock on tariffs
Telsa has put on hold plans to sell electric cars in India, abandoned a search for showroom space, and reassigned some of its domestic team after failing to secure lower import taxes, three people familiar with the matter have said.
Lawmakers back EU-wide ban on new fossil fuel cars from 2035, despite strong lobbying
Lawmakers in the European Parliament’s environment committee voted to uphold a proposed ban on the sale of polluting vehicles from 2035 but narrowly rejected proposals for stricter 2030 targets on cars and vans that would have made the transition smoother.OpinionPromoted content
Towards the mass adoption of smart and bidirectional charging, the key contribution of the “Fit for 55” package
With the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the “Fit for 55” package, the European Commission issued very ambitious proposals to decarbonise the transport sector through electrification, fostering innovation. We need to secure this impetus in the ongoing legislative process.
ECDC and EASA scrap mandatory mask-wearing on flights
Two EU agencies governing aviation safety and disease control have on Wednesday (11 May) announced that mandatory medical mask-wearing on flights is no longer recommended but that rules will be left to the discretion of each airline.OpinionPromoted content
Tackle NOx Emissions through the Vehicle Periodic Technical Inspection
The CITA report identifies and evaluates fundamentally feasible methods and procedures for the monitoring of NOx emissions and NOx after-treatment systems as part of a vehicle periodic technical inspection (PTI).
EU lawmakers may push 70% emission cut on carmakers by 2030
The European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) is due to vote on mandatory CO2 standards for car manufacturers on Wednesday (11 May), with the possibility of calling for a 70% reduction target by the year 2030. EURACTIV France reports.
Russia and the Great Plane Robbery
Since the imposition of sanctions, Russia has effectively stolen some 400 planes which were leased from abroad, a move considered the greatest theft of airplanes ever committed. The value of the stolen aircraft is valued at around $10 billion.
German transport minister Wissing plans massive increase of e-car subsidies
Germany’s transport ministry plans to almost double e-car subsidies to achieve climate targets, but experts and NGOs criticise the plans as hugely expensive and ineffective, reported business daily Handelsblatt.
‘Road dust’: the lesser-known air pollutant
The European Union has taken bold steps to cut pollution from cars and trucks, focusing mostly on tailpipe emissions. Yet, non-exhaust emissions also pose a threat to air quality and have received less attention from policymakers. Unlike tailpipe pollution, the...
Switch to EVs won’t solve ‘road dust’ pollution – in fact, it could make it worse
Electric vehicles are set to end tailpipe emissions, significantly improving air quality in urban areas. But particulate matter emitted from brakes and tyres will continue to pose health risks and could even increase after the EV revolution, studies show.OpinionPromoted content
New materials for European roads – transition to lower-energy road maintenance is more urgent than ever
The consequences of the ongoing war in Ukraine add to the existing supply chain issues facing road authorities across Europe. Many of the materials used in the essential maintenance of Europe’s key transport arteries are very energy demanding. It is urgent for European road authorities to reduce their reliance on such materials.
Russia must return over 400 stolen airplanes, MEPs demand
The European Parliament passed on Thursday (5 May) a resolution on the impact of the Russian aggression on the transport and tourism sector, which calls on Russia to return over 400 airplanes leased from foreign companies it has stolen.
Oil ban: EU seeks a refined solution to a crude problem
After weeks of speculation, the news from Brussels is that sanctions on Russian oil will be finalised today and put to member states tomorrow.OpinionPromoted content
Wanted: Impactful Solutions to power Sustainable Aviation
Impactful, disruptive technologies that push the boundaries of innovation are required to make climate-neutral aviation a reality by 2050.OpinionPromoted content
Critical: Renewable fuels still not accounted for in road transport legislation
Increasing shares of renewable and low-carbon energy sources, such as biomethane, is central to the success of transport decarbonisation. A viable, practical regulatory solution to fully recognize their role in the EU’s CO2 standards is a crediting scheme for renewable fuels.
100 European cities selected for goal of climate neutrality by 2030
One hundred European cities have been selected to participate in an EU programme to rapidly cut emissions in urban areas, with the goal of reaching climate neutrality by 2030.
Port of Antwerp reaps rewards from Brexit
Brexit has been disastrous for EU-UK trade, but one unexpected beneficiary is the port of Antwerp which has seen its share of UK trade increase on the back of a transition away from rail shipping.
Climate impact of flying could be two thirds higher than thought
The EU's proposed green aviation law overlooks the true climate cost of flying, with the non-CO2 effects of air travel producing two to four times the impact of carbon emissions, a Greens MEP has said.OpinionPromoted content
EU energy security should not undermine climate change efforts, but enhance them
Anyone that expected a regulatory thunderstorm during 2021 and 2022 in order to achieve climate neutrality in Europe will not be disappointed. The Fit-for-55 package has proven a very complex mechanism that should put the EU at the forefront of climate mitigation efforts.
No green and digital transition without raw materials, EU warns
Europe's transition to a sustainable and digital society is only possible with a strategic approach to the raw materials needed to manufacture chips, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies, the EU's internal market Commissioner Thierry Breton said on Monday (25 April).
Will a Russian oil ban resurrect the 1970s?
Speculation is rife of an imminent announcement of fresh sanctions targeting Russian oil. But telling citizens to drive less and consume less energy is as likely to be unpopular today as it was 50 years ago.
Fleets of hydrogen taxis are picking up across Europe
Europe's market for hydrogen-powered taxis is becoming increasingly competitive, with French company Hype, which has developed them in Paris since 2015, being among the frontrunners. EURACTIV France reports.OpinionPromoted content
