Is sustainable mobility about changing users' behaviour, or changing transport infrastructure?

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Last year, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso announced that a key element of the European Commissions policy for 2010-14 would be to decarbonise transport by 2050.

As the transport sector is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, the second biggest energy consumer and the only sector where emissions are still growing, achieving sustainable mobility will be an essential element of any effort to reach the EUs climate goals.

"Europe 2020", the EUs blueprint for economic reform, will include a number of initiatives (both legislative and financial) to support investment in infrastructure and low-carbon technologies. The Commission is to present a package of measures on transport and climate.

Which path will Europes decision-makers choose? So far, the European Commission has refrained from giving preference to one particular technology. Concerning mobility, it prefers to concentrate more on enabling elements - research and infrastructures - than end-user technologies.

For instance, investment into clean technologies as envisaged in the Commissions strategic energy technology plan (SET-plan) will focus on greening energy production, boosting the output of renewables and improving grids, but not on specific industrial applications such as hybrid or all-electric vehicles.

A recent study by Oxford University on the future of mobility suggests that industrial policy alone will not be enough and that market forces and behavioural change must play a major role.

What is the best way to achieve low-carbon mobility? How can the different branches of the transport sector contribute? Can mobility be decoupled from energy consumption? Is it up to EU policymakers to decide upon Europes industrial choices? How far can EU policies shape Europes sustainable energy future?

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Transportation
• Sustainable mobility
• Energy
• Environment
• car

[adventurekalu]

why are people pay to watch car races still when they consume hell of a lot of fuel and do they pay or the polution they produce? why do the governments promote car races? to get more tourists ? run some horses or dogs ........

[jh5kl]

thanks for uploading the video