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Europe's road transport needs to shift gears towards sustainability

Growing transport volumes have been driving Europe’s road transport emissions up in the past two decades. A European Environment Agency (EEA) analysis, published today, shows how total greenhouse gas emissions from both passenger cars and heavy goods vehicles have increased in Europe, despite better engine efficiency and use of biofuels.

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EU maritime transport: first environmental impact report acknowledges good progress towards sustainability and confirms that more effort is needed to prepare for rising demand

Maritime transport plays and will continue to play an essential role in global and European trade and economy. In recent years, the maritime sector has taken significant measures to alleviate its environmental impacts. Ahead of a projected increase in global shipping volumes, a new report reveals for the first time the full extent of the impact of the EU maritime transport sector on the environment and identifies challenges to achieving sustainability.

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Sharp decrease in CO2 emissions of new cars in 2020

The European Environment Agency (EEA) has published its provisional data about the emissions of newly registered passenger cars and vans in Europe in 2020. For cars, the data show a 12 % decrease in average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared with 2019. Average van emissions also decreased slightly, by about 1.5 %.

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Average car emissions kept increasing in 2019, final data show

Average emissions from new passenger cars in Europe increased for the third consecutive year in 2019, reaching 122.3 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre (g CO2/km), according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) final data. Data about newly registered vans show a stable trend. New EEA data set baseline for emission reductions in heavy-duty vehicles.

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Motorised transport: train, plane, road or boat — which is greenest?

Train travel remains overall the most environmentally friendly mode of motorised passenger transport in Europe — in terms of greenhouse gas emissions — as compared to travelling by car or plane, according to two transport and environment studies published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) today.

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Average CO2 emissions from new cars and new vans increased again in 2019

According to provisional data, published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom (UK), increased in 2019, for the third consecutive year. The average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased slightly. Zero- and low-emission vehicles must be deployed much faster across Europe to achieve the stricter targets that apply from 2020.

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New cars and vans sold in 2018 more CO2 intensive, final data confirms

Average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars registered in the European Union (EU), the United Kingdom (UK) and Iceland increased in 2018 for the second year in a row, according to final data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). For the first time, average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased in 2018. More efforts are needed from manufacturers to reduce vehicle CO2 emissions.

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Citizen science projects on air quality produce useful information and raise public awareness

Air pollution is the biggest environmental health threat in Europe and more and more people are taking action to claim their right to clean air. A new European Environment Agency (EEA) report provides an overview of low-cost devices that citizens and NGOs can use to measure local air quality.

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Member States must cut emissions across all sectors to achieve EU climate targets by 2030

Emission cuts in the European Union’s (EU) Effort Sharing sectors need to accelerate considerably from 2018 onwards to achieve the current EU 2030 targets, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, published today. In particular, the large amount of emission reductions from planned measures in the transport sector need to materialise through concrete actions.

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Number of Europeans exposed to harmful noise pollution expected to increase

At least one in five Europeans are currently exposed to noise levels considered harmful to their health, according to the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) environmental noise pollution report published today. This number is projected to increase in the years ahead.

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Walking, cycling and public transport in cities remain greener mobility options than electric scooters or car ride-hailing

The growing use of electric scooters and ride-hailing services is transforming how we move in urban centres — but walking, cycling and public transport remain the best way to improve sustainable mobility in cities, according to a European Environment Agency (EEA) report published today. A separate EEA briefing on the environmental and climate impacts of transport finds that emissions of greenhouse gases from transport continue to increase, as demand for mobility across Europe keeps growing.

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Gap between real-world and type-approval emissions undermines incentives for cleaner cars

Incentives to promote fuel-efficient cars have not always resulted in expected emission reductions, due to the growing gap between real-world and type approval emissions. However, according to a new European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, incentives that boost the uptake of electric vehicles considerably reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions.

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Average CO2 emissions from new cars and new vans increased in 2018

According to provisional data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new passenger cars registered in the European Union (EU) in 2018 increased for the second consecutive year, reaching 120.4 grammes of CO2 per kilometre. For the first time, the average CO2 emissions from new vans also increased. Manufacturers will have to reduce emissions of their fleet significantly to meet the upcoming 2020 and 2021 targets.

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Images of tradition and green solutions win photo competition prizes

The winners of the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) photo competition, ‘Sustainably Yours’, have been selected. The winning photos depict agricultural traditions and low-carbon solutions for energy and mobility. More than 400 photos from 32 European countries were sent to the competition.

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Vote for your favourite sustainability photos

The final stage of the European Environment Agency’s (EEA) photo competition ‘Sustainably Yours’ showcases 45 photos depicting sustainable food, energy and mobility in Europe. An online vote, opening today, will decide the winner of the Public Choice Award.

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Small increase in EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions in 2017, with transport emissions up for the fourth consecutive year

Total greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union (EU) increased by 0.7 % in 2017, according to latest official data published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Less coal was used to produce heat and electricity but this was offset by higher industrial and transport emissions, the latter increasing for the fourth consecutive year.

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New initiative to measure outdoor air quality at schools across Europe

Air pollution is a growing concern in Europe and globally. CleanAir@School initiative is putting focus on air quality around Europe’s schools by involving children, parents and teachers in measuring pollutant concentrations. The project is a joint initiative of the European Environment Agency and the European Network of the Heads of Environmental Protection Agencies.

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Almost all car makers met their 2017 CO2 emission targets on new sales, but overall progress towards the 2021 targets is insufficient

All but three car manufacturers met their specific emission targets in 2017, based on current European vehicle test rules. Nevertheless, average carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from new cars sold in the European Union in 2017 rose by 0.4 grammes (g) of CO2 per kilometre (km) from 2016, according to final data published by the European Environment Agency (EEA). This increase brings car manufacturers further away from their 2021 targets.

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Photo competition to profile sustainable food, energy and mobility

How we produce and consume food and energy and how we move people and goods around have an impact on our environment, climate and health. The European Environment Agency’s new photo competition, ‘Sustainably Yours’, invites Europeans to send photos of the challenges and opportunities in making food, energy and mobility choices more sustainable.

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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.

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