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Decarbonizing Transport in the European Union: Emission Performance Standards and the Perspectives for a European Green Deal

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Listed:
  • Tobias Haas

    (Department of Political and Social Sciences, Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), Ihnestr. 22, D-14195 Berlin, Germany)

  • Hendrik Sander

    (Department of Political and Social Sciences, Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU), Ihnestr. 22, D-14195 Berlin, Germany)

Abstract

The transport sector is a major driver of climate change both globally and in the European Union (EU). While the EU as a whole is showing declining carbon emissions, transport-related emissions are higher than in 1990. Car traffic is responsible for around 12 percent of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underlined the efforts to strengthen the decarbonization of the EU at the end of 2019 by publishing the European Green Deal (EGD) communication. In this paper, we analyze the controversy surrounding the emission performance standards for cars adopted in spring 2019. Car manufacturers must reduce the average carbon emissions of their fleets by 37.5% between 2021 and 2030. In this respect, the new emission performance standards are more ambitious than the previous ones. However, our argument is that without a major shift in the balance of power, extensive decarbonization and a departure from car-centered transport development will not be possible. Therefore, it is crucial for mobility research to critically engage with lobbying power in the EU and with concepts such as environmental leadership, which often underexpose the structural power of incumbent actors and existing path dependencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Tobias Haas & Hendrik Sander, 2020. "Decarbonizing Transport in the European Union: Emission Performance Standards and the Perspectives for a European Green Deal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:20:p:8381-:d:426682
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Deters, Henning, 2010. "Legislating on car emissions: What drives standards in EU environmental policy?," TranState Working Papers 142, University of Bremen, Collaborative Research Center 597: Transformations of the State.
    2. Helene Dyrhauge, 2014. "The Road to Environmental Policy Integration is Paved with Obstacles: Intra- and Inter-Organizational Conflicts in EU Transport Decision-Making," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(5), pages 985-1001, September.
    3. Sune Sandbeck & Etienne Schneider, 2014. "From the Sovereign Debt Crisis to Authoritarian Statism: Contradictions of the European State Project," New Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(6), pages 847-871, December.
    4. Nowack, Felix & Sternkopf, Benjamin, 2015. "Lobbyismus in der Verkehrspolitik: Auswirkungen der Interessenvertretung auf nationaler und europäischer Ebene vor dem Hintergrund einer nachhaltigen Verkehrsentwicklung," IVP-Discussion Papers 2015 (2), Technische Universität Berlin, Fachgebiet Integrierte Verkehrsplanung.
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