Committee on Climate Change

Around 22% of the emissions produced in the UK, and 92% of domestic transport emissions, are from surface transport – road and rail emissions (119 MtCO₂).

Almost all UK surface transport (97%) is from road transport, with 60% of total surface transport emissions coming from cars alone (see figure below).

Click on the image to enlarge the chart

To meet carbon budgets, deep cuts in emissions from surface transport are required by the 2020s.

The Committee’s analysis shows that a 26% reduction in surface transport emissions from 2008 levels is possible by 2020, with a reduction of 44% by 2030.

By 2050 the Committee estimates that emissions will need to be reduced by 91% from 2008 levels (90% from 1990 levels).

In recent years, the most significant increases in emissions have been driven by the increasing use of vans and Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs). However, unlike cars, there is no consistent long-term decline in the carbon intensity of vans and HGVs.

While voluntary agreements between the European Commission and European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers to reduce new car CO₂ have resulted in annual increases in the fuel efficiency of new vehicles, a target for vans is only just being developed, and no such agreement exists for HGVs. Therefore the effects of any increases in van and HGV traffic are not offset by improvements in fuel efficiency.

Emissions from transport can be reduced by improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles,  and by encouraging people to change the way that they choose to travel.

Government should support this process by:

• Ensuring that the UK can meet EU targets for improving CO₂ efficiency of new cars and vans and work towards stronger targets in the 2020s.
• Work towards a target for improving the CO₂ efficiency of new HGVs
• Ensuring that there is widespread roll-out of electric cars and vans across the UK by 2020 by providing the right financial support and required charging infrastructure.
• Ensuring that the Smarter Choices programme is rolled-out across the country to ensure that more people use public transport and plan their journeys more effectively in order to reduce emissions.
• Developing an integrated planning and transport strategy which can manage the impacts of transport emissions from new developments.
• Provide support for hydrogen technologies as a viable option for the use in niche market with potential roll-out in buses.