Rail travel is greenest mode of motorised transport

In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, rail travel remains the best mode of motorised passenger transport in Europe, according to two transport and environment studies published by the European Environment Agency (EEA).

Transport accounted for a quarter of EU greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. Emissions come primarily from road transport (72%), while marine transport and aviation represent shares of 14 and 13 per cent of emissions, respectively, and rail a share of 0.4 per cent (emissions by diesel trains only). On top of the direct contribution to global warming and air pollution, emissions that take place during the production, transmission and distribution of energy used by trains and aircraft were also considered. Transport also causes non-exhaust emissions of air pollutants, e.g. from the abrasion of brakes and tyres.

The Transport and Environment Report 2020 (TERM) specifically investigates the impacts of rail and air passenger travel, concluding that rail travel is the best and most sensible mode of travel, apart from walking or cycling. While aviation’s emissions are much higher on a passenger-kilometre basis, flying is not necessarily the most harmful choice – travel by petrol or diesel-powered cars, especially if traveling alone, can be more harmful.

Figure: Emission costs of different transport modes (500 km)

A separate EEA Briefing on goods transport says that rail and shipping have the lowest GHG emissions per kilometre and unit transported, while aviation and road transport emit significantly more.

Source: EEA, 24 March 2021.

Link: https://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/motorised-transport-train-plane-road

In this issue

EU industrial air pollution cost up to €433 billion per year

The cost of damage caused by pollutant emissions into the air from the largest 12,000 industrial facilities in 2017 has been estimated at €277–433 billion, and half of the total cost was caused by less than two per cent of plants.

Editorial

The World Health Organization is shortly expected to publish revised guidelines for the main hazardous air pollutants. These will be of major importance for the forthcoming revision of the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive – a revision proposal is scheduled to be presented by the Commission next year.

Recycled batteries reduce dependence on imported raw materials

A new study assesses the raw materials needed to make electric vehicle batteries and compares them with the materials needed to run a fossil fuel car.

CO₂ emissions from the cement industry can be reduced without CCS

Cement emissions in the EU fell more than 10 per cent in 2019–2020, demonstrating that fast, short-term cuts are possible.

Norway’s romantically named Longship CCS project

Will the Northern Light CO₂ storage ever be commercially viable?

Looking back over 40 years

Four Swedish environmentalist organisations set up a joint project for the international dissemination of information on air pollution and acidification. This leads to the establishment of the Swedish NGO Secretariat on Acid Rain in January 1982, re-named the Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat (AirClim) in 2008.

Agri-PV a useful synergy between agriculture and solar energy

The co-developing of land for both solar photovoltaic power and agriculture has gained interest. Experts state that the synergy would benefit food and energy production, as well as decreasing both water demand and carbon emissions.

Direct Air Capture: Billionaires dream of vacuuming carbon out of the atmosphere

Direct air capture of CO₂ is getting a lot of media traction, and a lot of finance from US billionaires. But the very few machines do not suck up much CO₂, so Carbon Engineering uses Photoshop to increase their numbers.

Opportunities for the Renewable Energy Directive

The current Renewable Energy Directive does not deliver the results needed to meet the Paris Agreement. The transition of the energy system in EU member states from fossil fu- els to 100% renewable energy must accelerate.

2021 – the make or break year for climate action

In April 2021 the World Meteorological Organization published a new assessment in its State of the Global Climate 2020 report

Main menu

Rail travel is greenest mode of motorised transport

In this issue

EU industrial air pollution cost up to €433 billion per year

Editorial

Recycled batteries reduce dependence on imported raw materials

CO₂ emissions from the cement industry can be reduced without CCS

Norway’s romantically named Longship CCS project

Looking back over 40 years

Agri-PV a useful synergy between agriculture and solar energy

Direct Air Capture: Billionaires dream of vacuuming carbon out of the atmosphere

Opportunities for the Renewable Energy Directive

2021 – the make or break year for climate action

In Breif

Clean air possible without lockdown

EP wants air quality law reforms

Restrict traffic in cities to tackle air pollution

Phase-out shipping emissions

Costs of shipping in the Baltic Sea

Turkey bans open-loop scrubbers

Lisbon going for electric ferries

Big benefits of shore-side electricity

Deteriorated rivers breathe out greenhouse gases

101 Nobel Prize laureates urge leaders to end fossil fuel expansion

Carbon dioxide levels are now higher than at any time in the past 3.6 million years

Advertisements from fossil fuel firms with tobaccolike health warnings

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

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