EU greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 2016 – except for transport

EU greenhouse gas emissions declined modestly last year for most sectors but actually increased for transport, according to new data from the European Environment Agency.

While the EEA’s report showed an overall decrease of 0.7% from 2015 to 2016 for EU GHG emissions, transport emissions increased for the second year running. Moreover, the EEA warned that although the EU remains on track to achieve its 2020 targets, current efforts need to be stepped up to achieve more ambitious longer-term objectives.

That’s why it is important for EU policymakers to reconsider plans to phase out one of the best tools it has for decarbonising transport: crop-based European renewable ethanol, which in 2016 delivered on average 66% in GHG savings over fossil petrol. EU ethanol is made sustainably from Europe-grown feedstock, with high-protein animal feed as a co-product.

As a European Commission report recently showed, its use also helps reduce emissions of harmful pollutantshttp://epure.org/news-and-media/press-releases/european-commission-study-highlights-benefits-of-higher-ethanol-fuel-blends/.

Achieving the EU's long-term decarbonisation objective can take place only if the EU acknowledges the benefits of sustainable ethanol for decarbonisation, while not allowing a phase out of crop-based biofuels.