Biofuels are vital to decarbonising the EU’s road transport

2016 is a crucial year for European transport with the European Commission due to publish a communication on decarbonising transport this summer. Europe’s poor record when it comes to transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions means the Commission must present a clear set of policy measures to reduce transport’s carbon footprint. Road transport emissions now account for 25% of Europe’s total GHG emissions and will become its largest source of emissions if remedial action is not taken. The core reason that road transport is such a problem is that 95% of energy demand for our vehicles is still met by fossil fuels. Mobility is crucial to the economy and to the daily lives of EU citizens, but with road traffic levels projected to increase by 30% by 2030, and with concerns growing over air pollution, cutting transport emissions must be a political priority. At the COP21, Europe committed to cutting its GHG emissions by at least 40% by 2030 – an ambitious target that relies on emissions reductions in transport. The Commission has estimated that to achieve this 40% reduction, will require the incorporation of 12-14% renewable energy sources in transport and a 12-20% reduction in transport emissions.