Transport: Addicted to Oil

Abstract

Transport fulfils a crucial role for both economic and social development, since it enables people and goods to move from one place to another. Globalization and technological innovation have led to a drastic increase in national and international freight and passenger transport and consequently also in transport-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this chapter, we first discuss the historical developments in transport in the EU, the sector's potential role in decarbonization and the current EU policies with regard to decarbonization in the transport sector. Second, we identify a number of policy gaps, since current policies are most likely insufficient to achieve the targeted decarbonization in the transport sector by 2050. Third, we analyse the drivers and barriers to achieving the transport-sector reduction targets focusing on functional overlap, political will, societal backing and institutional set-up.