The Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled The European Green Deal sets a climate-neutrality objective to be achieved by the Union by 2050, as well as a clear objective to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 % and towards 55 % by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Both objectives are enshrined in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The European Green Deal calls for a 90 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transport, while working towards the zero-pollution ambition to reduce by 2030 the health impacts of air pollutant emissions by more than 55 % and the share of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30 %. Transport represents around 25 % of the Union’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions have increased over recent years. The European Green Deal prioritises the shift onto rail and inland waterways of a substantial part of the 75 % of inland freight carried today by road. Since rail transport is a largely electrified and energy-efficient mode of transport, greater use of rail services should contribute to reducing transport’s emissions and energy consumption.
Text as published in the Official Journal, reproduced verbatim (including any typographical quirks of the source). For the authentic version, see EUR-Lex.
