Belgium, (Brussels Morning) Reforms in the transport sector could cut the EU’s oil dependency for vehicles by 13% and save European citizens 63 billion euros on their bills per year, new research conducted by Greenpeace Central and Eastern Europe suggests.
Greenpeace EU’s calculations come as diesel fuel shortages and cuts to oil production announced by the OPEC Plus, spearheaded by Russia and Saudi Arabia, raising fears of further energy price rises amid an already desperate cost-of-living crisis. According to analysts, the cuts in oil production by OPEC Plus could signal a rift between Saudi Arabia and the US, or just an effort by the oil producers to make more money.
“Europe’s oil-addicted transport system is making the cost-of-living crisis worse for households while wrecking the climate and fueling the war in Ukraine. Fuel prices are rising, but many people have no choice but to keep paying through the nose unless the EU and governments provide alternatives,” said Thomas Gelin, Greenpeace EU transport campaigner.
Yesterday EU energy ministers met in Prague to discuss the energy crisis, but reforms to the transport sector have been absent from their discussions. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson said the EU Executive will present a new package of proposals on October 18, largely linked to hydrogen development and a possible revision of the electricity market.
“Banning needless short-haul flights and private jets, and boosting public transport with affordable ‘climate’ tickets, would cut oil use dramatically, and people’s bills along with it,” suggested Gelin.
Other suggestions put forward by Greenpeace EU to reduce oil consumption, save money and decarbonize transport include increased teleworking, more carpooling, and lower speed limits, which could cut the EU’s annual transport-related energy consumption by 50 million tonnes of oil, the equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions of 120 million average cars.
Europe’s transport system is a major driver of the energy, climate, and cost-of-living crises currently converging. Transport consumes more energy than any other sector in the EU, using almost 70% of all the oil in the bloc, causing almost 30% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions and representing the second largest expense of EU households, after housing.
Greenpeace EU commended the initiatives in Germany and Spain to promote affordable public transport and consequently less car usage and fewer traffic jams. Germany pushed a €9 ticket for public transport whereas Spain delivered a public transport scheme to help people counter the rising household bills during the energy crisis.
In discussions about Europe’s failure to clean up the transport sector, the think tank Bruegel said last year the EU should provide support to countries and cities that ban diesel and petrol vehicles through a new EU Clean Transport Fund.
The Brussels-based organization also encouraged the Union to focus its transport-related research and innovation funding on supporting new clean technologies that are not yet viable but are potentially key to ensuring deep decarbonization of road transport in the longer term.
