Transport
German car parts suppliers fret over combustion engine phase-out
The European Commission’s Fit for 55 package will rapidly tighten emission standards for cars, effectively banning the sale of vehicles fitted with internal combustion engines by 2035. German carmakers had preempted the move, but parts suppliers and employees are worried.
EU drops ‘accounting trick’ to boost green fuel in road transport
The biofuels industry has welcomed the European Commission's proposal to end the statistical inflation of waste-based biofuels in the EU's road transport energy mix, a practice they say camouflaged the use of fossil fuels.
The climate cost of the new space race
Space tourism has become a reality in the last month, with two billionaires jetting off to brush the edge of space in ground-breaking technology, but the CO2 emissions of such trips could carry a heavy price for the climate.
Electric vehicles sales in France tripled in past two years
Plug-in hybrids and electric cars have increased in popularity in France, rising from 2.5% of all vehicles sold in 2019 to 7.5% today. The increase in sales is partly linked to the electric bonuses granted under the country's recovery plan, dubbed France Relance. EURACTIV France reports.
Fit for 55: EU sets clock ticking on fossil and diesel engines
Following months of fevered speculation (and equally fevered lobbying), the Fit for 55 climate laws package was unveiled last Wednesday (14 July). In today’s Transport Brief we’ll take a look at what the Fit for 55 plan means for three key sectors: road transport, aviation, and maritime.
The rise of electric vehicles could deliver green jobs – but we need a plan
As electromobility grows, it’s triggering enormous change to the automotive sector, writes Judith Kirton-Darling. Handled right, this transition could bring Europe an unrivalled opportunity for competitive advantage and provide a future for the 14 million workers in Europe who depend directly or indirectly on the automotive industry, she argues.
EU energy tax plan seeks to end ‘hidden advantage’ for fossil fuels
A proposed new EU-wide fuel taxation system based on energy content rather than volume seeks to end incentives for petrol and diesel, aiming instead to support the uptake of green biofuels, renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuels.
EU green jet fuel proposal shuns crop-based biofuels, focuses on next generation
Proposed EU legislation aimed at cutting flight emissions by ramping up the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) has excluded the use of first-generation biofuels, arguing they bring "limited environmental benefits".
Italy reaches deal with EU for launch of Alitalia successor ITA
Italy has reached a deal with the European Commission over the launch of carrier Italia Trasporto Aereo (ITA), which will replace the loss-making, state-owned Alitalia, the Treasury said in a statement.
EU proposes adding shipping to its carbon trading market
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday (15 July) adding shipping to the bloc's carbon market for the first time, adding pressure to become greener on an industry that had avoided the European Union's system of pollution charges for over a decade.
NASA, European Space Agency join forces on climate change
NASA and the European Space Agency joined forces Tuesday (13 July) in the battle against climate change, a move they said paves the way to a global response to the problem.OpinionPromoted content
Upscaling hydrogen for 55: The EU should hedge its bets
On the eve of the publication of the highly anticipated Fit-for-55 Package, many questions remain unanswered about how the EU plans to approach hydrogen. Johannes Trüby is Director/ Economic Advisory at Deloitte. From costs and investments, to infrastructure, imports and...
Limbering up for Fit for 55
For those in the orbit of the EU institutions – lobbyists, journalists, policy wonks, activists – the suspense is almost unbearable. Wednesday (14 July) will see the European Commission unveil the so-called “Fit for 55” package: more than a dozen pieces of legislation that aim to ensure the bloc reduces emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.
EU, Ukraine sign ‘strategic partnership’ on raw materials
Kyiv will be invited on Tuesday (13 July) to join EU industrial alliances on batteries and raw materials, with a view to develop an entire value chain of the extraction, refining and recycling of minerals in Ukraine to supply the EU market for electric cars and digital equipment.
Narrow focus on electrifying vehicles will harm climate efforts, says fuels industry
Favouring electrification while ignoring low-carbon liquid fuels will hinder the bloc's efforts to decarbonise road transport, a prominent industry body has said ahead of the release of the EU's climate law package.OpinionPromoted content
Eco-friendly planes to fly by 2035 to reach climate-neutrality by 2050
Bold, rapid investment in research and innovation is needed to steer aviation firmly on a course towards climate neutrality by 2050. Axel Krein is the Executive Director of Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking. The aviation sector has suffered immensely as...OpinionPromoted content
Rapid climate action in transport? Yes, with gas!
The EC is about to present its Fit for 55 package with the reduction of CO2 emissions in transport set to become a major topic. gmobility is ready to play its role, but it requires supportive legislation with tools like WtW to assess its benefits.
EU slaps Volkswagen, BMW with antitrust fines
The EU's antitrust authority fined German auto giants Volkswagen and BMW €875 million on Thursday (8 July) for colluding on the development of anti-pollution technology for diesel cars.
Advanced biofuels feedstock list should be enlarged to meet EU target: industry
The list of EU-approved sustainable fuel sources should be expanded to meet the higher targets for second-generation biofuels under the updated renewable energy directive, according to the advanced biofuels industry.
A majority of Europeans favour a tax on jet fuel
A recent survey suggests that Europeans believe airlines should be required to pay tax on aviation fuel. The European Commission should heed the public and not the aviation lobby, writes Ciarán Cuffe.
Sky no longer the limit for aviation taxes
The European Commission is set to do the previously unthinkable – tax aviation jet fuel. Reversing a long-standing policy, the EU executive will apply an EU-wide minimum tax rate on fossil-based kerosene for flights travelling within the bloc.
VW, Daimler, Volvo team up to build truck chargers
The truck manufacturing units of Volkswagen, Daimler and Volvo announced Monday (5 July) they will team up to build a network of 1,700 charging points for heavy-duty vehicles in Europe using green electricity.
Why is the European Commission dismantling the continent’s most successful EV charging model?
The Netherlands is a world leader in EV charging infrastructure, thanks partly to their use of multipliers – a statistical method that encourages the use of renewable energy in transport. But the European Commission's decision to eliminate multipliers for electricity will destroy the successful Dutch model, argues William Todts.