Aviation and shipping — impacts on Europe's environment TERM 2017

Publication Created 29 Jan 2018 Published 31 Jan 2018
2 min read
Note: new versions are available!
Cover Image
Domestic and international aviation and shipping are key components of Europe's mobility system. They are both economic sectors that directly bring many societal and economic benefits, such as the delivery of a wide range of goods and services and provision of employment and mobility for personal leisure or business purposes. However, from the broader environmental perspective, both sectors are also seen as challenging, because increasing demand within each of the sectors is exerting increasing pressures on the environment and climate. Their joint consideration in this TERM 2017 report also reflects key similarities, opportunities and challenges between them.
Downloading: PDF document icon Aviation and shipping TERM 2017.pdf — PDF document, 965 KB (988389 bytes)
Publication Created 29 Jan 2018 Published 31 Jan 2018
2 min read
EEA Report No 22/2017
Domestic and international aviation and shipping are key components of Europe's mobility system. They are both economic sectors that directly bring many societal and economic benefits, such as the delivery of a wide range of goods and services and provision of employment and mobility for personal leisure or business purposes. However, from the broader environmental perspective, both sectors are also seen as challenging, because increasing demand within each of the sectors is exerting increasing pressures on the environment and climate. Their joint consideration in this TERM 2017 report also reflects key similarities, opportunities and challenges between them.

Download

See additional files

Order information

Order a printed copy on the EU Publications website

: 978-92-9213-931-5
: TH-AL-17-022-EN-N

Additional Files

See older versions.

Related content

News and articles

Environment and climate impacts of aviation continue growing Improving technology, more efficient operations, better airports and market-based measures have not been enough to mitigate the aviation sector’s growing impacts on the environment, climate and people's health. These are the key findings of a new report, published jointly today by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the European Environment Agency (EEA) and EUROCONTROL.
Aviation and shipping emissions in focus The European Environment Agency (EEA) recently published its annual Transport and Environment Reporting Mechanism (TERM) report, which this year focused on aviation and shipping. The two sectors are growing rapidly, which also has an impact on the environment, notably emissions. We asked Anke Lükewille, EEA expert on air pollution, to explain the key points of this year’s TERM report.
Europe’s transport sector: Aviation and shipping face big challenges in reducing environmental impacts A massive shift in innovation, consumer behaviour and the take up of more ambitious green technologies to power aircraft and sea-faring cargo ships will be crucial to reducing their long-term carbon footprint. A European Environment Agency (EEA) report says incremental measures such as improving fuel efficiency to cut emissions will not be enough for the aviation and shipping sectors to meet European greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability targets.

Related indicators

Emissions of air pollutants from transport Between 1990 and 2015, the transport sector significantly reduced emissions of certain air pollutants: carbon monoxide (CO) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) (both by around 85%), sulphur oxides (SO x ) (49 %), nitrogen oxides (NO x ) (41 %). Since, 2000 a reduction in particulate matter emissions (42 % for PM 2.5  and 35 % for PM 10 ) has occurred. Emission reductions from road transport have been lower than originally anticipated over the last two decades. This is partly because transport has grown more than expected and, for certain pollutants, partly owing to the larger than expected growth in diesel vehicles, which produce higher NO x and PM emissions than petrol-fuelled vehicles. Furthermore, it is widely accepted that 'real-world emissions' of NO x , particularly from diesel passenger cars and vans, generally exceed the permitted European emission (Euro) standards, which define the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in the EU Member States. Emissions of all pollutants decreased in 2015 compared with the previous year. NO x  emissions decreased by 1 %, SO x  by 12 %, and PM 10  and PM 2.5  by 4 % and 5 %, respectively. The latest data show that non-exhaust emissions of primary PM 10  and PM 2.5 , such as from tyre- and brake-wear, make up 55 % and 37 % of total transport emissions of these pollutants, respectively.  All transport modes have reduced their emissions since 1990, except for international aviation and shipping for which CO, NO x and  SO x  emissions of each pollutant have increased.
Greenhouse gas emissions from transport in Europe In 2015, the transport sector contributed 25.8 % of total EU-28 greenhouse gas emissions. The figure decreases to 21 % if international aviation and maritime emissions are excluded. Emissions from t ransport (including aviation but excluding international shipping) in 2015  were 23 % above 1990 levels despite a decline between 2008 and 2013. Emissions increased by almost 2 % compared with 2014.  International aviation experienced the largest percentage increase in greenhouse gas emissions over 1990 levels (+105 %), followed by international shipping (+22 %) and road transport (+19 %). Emissions need to fall by around two thirds by 2050, compared with 1990 levels, in order to meet the long-term 60 % greenhouse gas emission reduction target as set out in the 2011 Transport White Paper.

Permalinks

Older versions

05 Dec 2017 - Monitoring progress of Europe's transport sector towards its environment, health and climate objectives
14 Dec 2016 - Transitions towards a more sustainable mobility system - TERM 2016
14 Dec 2015 - Evaluating 15 years of transport and environmental policy integration — TERM 2015: Transport indicators tracking progress towards environmental targets in Europe
08 Dec 2014 - Focusing on environmental pressures from long‑distance transport - TERM 2014: transport indicators tracking progress towards environmental targets in Europe
03 Dec 2013 - A closer look at urban transport – TERM 2013: transport indicators tracking progress towards environmental targets in Europe
27 Nov 2012 - The contribution of transport to air quality - TERM 2012: Transport indicators tracking progress towards environmental targets in Europe
09 Nov 2011 - Laying the foundations for greener transport — TERM 2011: transport indicators tracking progress towards environmental targets in Europe
22 Apr 2010 - Towards a resource-efficient transport system — TERM 2009
26 Mar 2009 - Transport at a crossroads. TERM 2008: indicators tracking transport and environment in the European Union
03 Mar 2008 - Climate for a transport change. TERM 2007
26 Feb 2007 - Transport and environment: on the way to a new common transport policy
28 Mar 2006 - Transport and environment: facing a dilemma - TERM 2005
18 Oct 2004 - Ten key transport and environment issues for policy-makers
28 Nov 2002 - TERM 2002 - Paving the way for EU enlargement - Summary
27 Nov 2002 - TERM 2002 - Paving the way for EU enlargement - Indicators of transport and environment integration
11 Sep 2001 - TERM2001 - Indicators tracking transport and environment integration in the European Union - Summary
11 Sep 2001 - TERM 2001 - Indicators tracking transport and environment integration in the European Union
24 Sep 2000 - Are we moving in the right direction? Indicators on transport and environment integration in the EU - TERM2000 - Executive summary
19 Jul 2000 - Are we moving in the right direction? PDF versions, press release, evaluation form, contacts
19 Jul 2000 - Are we moving in the right direction? Indicators on transport and environmental integration in the EU: TERM 2000
18 May 1999 - Towards a transport and environment reporting mechanism (TERM) for the EU - Part I and II

Geographic coverage

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Temporal coverage

Document Actions

For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/term-report-2017 or scan the QR code.

PDF generated on 31 May 2020, 10:55 PM

EEA Page URL QR
The EEA is an agency of the European Union

Engineered by: EEA Web Team

Software updated on 28 May 2020 11:25 from version 20.4.28

Software version: EEA Plone KGS 20.5.27

Code for developers

Systems Status

Legal notice

Creative commons license

CMS login