Wipe out transport emissions to avoid catastrophic climate change, say researchers

Europe needs to reduce its transport emissions by 94% by 2050 if EU countries are to meet their Paris Agreement commitments and prevent global warming of more than two degrees centigrade, according to a new study.

The Öko-Institut in Germany claim comes as campaigners warn that some EU governments - such as Italy and Poland – are "trying to destroy the already inadequate target of 30% by 2030". The campaigners, at Transport and Enviromment, commissioned the institute to find out what target different sectors need in order to keep global warming below two degrees, as agreed in Paris last December.

The publication of the research, available here, is an attempt to influence the discussion by European governments and the European Parliament of the so-called 'effort sharing regulation' that will set targets for transport emissions reduction.