Transport & Environment (T&E)

NEW: Tariffs won’t save European EV manufacturing if the EU drops its CO2 targets. Analysis by T&E shows that carmakers can regain a significant part of the EU electric vehicle market lost to China-made EVs through a range of more affordable EVs coming to market in 2024 and 2025… but only if it maintains its car CO2 targets alongside tariffs. Imports from China – including Tesla, BMW and Volvo – are on track to reach a quarter of EVs sold in Europe this year. But this could decrease to 20% market share in 2025 and 18% the following year if both tariffs on China-made EVs, and the EU emissions standards next year, go ahead. However, China-made EVs could expand their foothold to 27% of the European BEV market next year if the EU delays the 2025 CO2 targets – a major driver of affordable European EVs – and relies only on tariffs. Some European carmakers have called on the bloc to postpone or soften its standards next year. This would cause BEV sales by EU manufacturers to stagnate as they would continue to focus on more profitable combustion engines and delay the roll-out of affordable electric cars. Read the analysis ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eusmWMzf #EVTariffs #CO2Targets

The distribution grid matters!   📢 DSO Entity launched a joint statement with a coalition of 16 European energy associations to put distribution grids at the center of the EU agenda for the next five years. In the joint statement, the coalition explains that Distribution System Operators (DSOs) are central players that contribute to driving the energy and digital transition on the ground for the benefit of all European citizens, enterprises, and industries. The distribution grids are incorporating an increasing amount of renewables and are becoming more customer driven. Also, are the key technical enablers of the 42.5% EU’s renewable energy target, as more than 70% of renewables will be connected to the distribution grid by 2030. This will see more than 30 million electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads and 60 million heat pump units installed by 2030. .   🗣 We call for:   1️⃣ Creating a new Grids Facility, possibly under the EU Competitiveness Fund and aligning the EU financing instruments with the net-zero targets and DSOs’ needs.   2️⃣ Introduce a grid mainstreaming approach to ensure DSOs’ needs are considered in every regulation.   3️⃣ Encourage anticipatory investments, speed up permitting, support supply chains, and foster a regulatory environment for investment.   4️⃣ Launch a European Grid Academy within the framework of the EU’s Net-Zero Academies.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/dywUgc3n   Let’s strengthen Europe’s distribution grids for a cleaner future!   Avere-France : Electric vehicles Agency | CEDEC- European Federation of Local & Regional Energy Companies | ChargeUp Europe | CurrENT Europe | E.DSO | European Heat Pump Association | European Renewable Energies Federation (EREF) | ESMIG | Eurelectric | Europacable | GEODE - The voice of local energy distributors across Europe | SGI Europe | SolarPower Europe | T&D Europe | Transport & Environment (T&E)   #DistributionGridMatters #DSOs #ElectricityGrids #GridActionPlan #EnergyTransition #FitFor55 #EUGreenDeal

A group of 47 businesses, investors and civil society organisations, including Uber, Danone, PepsiCo and T&E, are calling for a major public investment strategy to finance the EU’s green transition. The good news is that Ursula von der Leyen has already said the EU needs an 'Investment Commission' — now it’s time to deliver. At T&E, we’re pushing for a €1 trillion investment plan focused on a green industrial fund for a just and social transition. And we’re not alone. NGOs and trade unions are likewise demanding a NextGenerationEU 2.0, driven by an EU investment strategy that channels funds to growing investment gaps. To finance crucial investments, ETS revenue is a promising source. Ahead of yesterday’s ECOFIN meeting, 16 civil society organisations, cleantech innovators, investors, industry associations, and researchers urged finance ministers and Wopke Hoekstra to use ETS revenues for climate action, cleantech deployment and industrial decarbonisation. Upcoming Commissioner hearings are a critical opportunity to further advocate for increased EU investments in sustainability for the next mandate. The European Commission should deliver ambitious proposals in its first 100 days on: 1️⃣ The announced EU Competitiveness Fund 2️⃣ The Future EU budget 3️⃣ A NGEU 2.0 Read the letter from businesses, investors and civil society calling for an EU investment plan that delivers our climate objectives and a resilient future for Europe ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e-ZJVd5S #SustainableFinance #ClimateInvestment

The first Cybertruck was registered in Europe in Czechia this year, raising concerns about their compatibility with European road safety norms. These excessively heavy vehicles have nearly non-existent crumple zones, which increases the risk of death and serious injury in collisions. See how these dangerous vehicles are being imported into Europe in the article from The Guardian ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7-P7xE3 #Tesla #Cybertruck

Higher tariffs will only work as part of a coherent industrial policy that includes: 🚗Maintaining the 2025 car CO2 targets 🔋Trade defence measures and an EU Battery Fund to support domestic battery-making 👩🏭Policies to reward clean, local battery-making. Julia Poliscanova explains in this clip from Bloomberg Technology 👇

Research by Transport & Environment (T&E) suggests (I'd say confirms) that we need a combination of measures - including a levy - to achieve the most cost-efficient (least negative impact) pathway towards maritime decarbonization. Read their report here: https://lnkd.in/ey6E-BeF. Please also re-read the background information in the 2023 UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Review of Maritime Transport here https://lnkd.in/eM5ktVFv

Big news for tackling greenwashing this week: MSC Cruises' description of liquefied natural gas as "one of the cleanest fuels" has been deemed misleading by the Dutch advertising board. This should be a lesson for regulators and the shipping industry who are increasingly pushing for #LNG as a clean alternative. Cruise ships could already be adding e-fuels for greener voyages today, instead of investing into polluting LNG. Read the article from Reuters ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e9eH4wND And check out our Cruisezilla report for more of what can be done to clean up cruise ships ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ewcNkJzA Fossielvrij NL Advocates for the Future

Geeky but important #IMO take incoming…… With talks underway in London to discuss the future of the shipping industry, there is fierce debate over the introduction of a global carbon #levy. In one camp, there are those that support a #carbon tax as a key part of the polluter pays principle. In the other camp are those that only want a penalty system built within a global fuel standard (#GFS), which is a measure that will push ships to decrease fuel greenhouse gas emissions. Some argue that you don’t need a carbon tax if you can have penalties for non-compliance under the GFS. But this doesn’t work. T&E’s analysis shows that even under an ambitious global fuel standard, the vast majority of shipping emissions would escape any costs in the coming decades. Globally, this would deny millions in financing for a just and equitable transition, as well as for the development of green hydrogen e-fuels which are needed to reach the goals of the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy. A global greenhouse gas levy, in combination with the global fuel standard, is therefore essential to ensure that shipping companies start to bear the cost of their emissions and contribute to financing the industry’s decarbonisation. https://lnkd.in/e33EkXuD

🚛 How are cities and companies transforming urban logistics? A new report by Clean Cities sheds light on the shift towards zero-emission freight. With over 100 cities and 182 companies across Europe making commitments to reduce transport emissions, we’re seeing a wave of innovation in urban logistics. Companies are embracing sustainable solutions like electric delivery vans and pedal-powered cargo bikes. Emerging practices such as microhubs and optimized delivery routes are also transforming how goods move through cities. 📦 Learn more about how these trends are shaping the future of urban logistics in the full report ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/erhrtAy7 #ZeroEmissions #GreenMobility

T&E's Victor Thévenet was on board a special direct EU-Rail train from Brussels to Berlin last week. This was a great initiative to bring rail stakeholders to Berlin for #InnoTrans2024. But unfortunately this direct route does not exist for travelers today. Next step: creating a daily connection between Brussels and Berlin in both directions. Will Deutsche Bahn rise to the challenge?