Watch the following video.

Think and try to answer the following questions:

• The video showed visualisations of two different global warming scenarios. How did the two scenarios differ?
• Which cities in the video were significantly affected by the issue of global warming?
• Using other sources, try to identify other cities that would be affected by sea level rise caused by global warming. What cities are they?

Emissions of greenhouse gases are falling in Europe – but not in the transport sector, new data shows. Between 1990 and 2020, the European Union said it managed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across a range of sectors by the equivalent of more than 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. This is a fall in emissions of 32%, says Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.

But transport in the EU, including international aviation, bucked the downwards trend in emissions. Compared with 1990, emissions from the EU’s transport sector were up by the equivalent of 50 million tonnes of CO2 in 2020. This is an increase of 7%.

Energy industries in the EU, which has 27 member countries, have seen the biggest fall in greenhouse gas emissions of 46%. This equates to a cut of 657 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over the 30-year period between 1990 and 2020. Manufacturing and construction saw the next biggest fall in greenhouse gas emissions, of 322 million tonnes, a 44% drop. The third biggest fall in greenhouse gas emissions was among homes, businesses, institutions and other organizations. This sector cut emissions by 215 million tonnes – a 29% fall.

Road transport is the biggest emitter in the EU’s transport sector and accounts for nearly three-quarters of transport-related greenhouse gas emissions, Eurostat says. International aviation, meanwhile, saw the biggest growth in emissions between 1990 and 2020 in the EU, having doubled over this period. The data shows a drop equivalent to more than 200 million tonnes of CO2 from the transport sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were lockdowns globally.

The EU’s domestic transport emissions increased steadily between 2013 and 2019 because of growth in passenger transport and inland freight volumes (which are closely related to economic growth trends). The emissions then decreased by 13.6% between 2019 and 2020, because of a drastic decrease in transport activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to preliminary estimates, emissions increased by 7.7% in 2021, following a rebound effect of the economy. For comparison, in the years following the economic crisis a decade ago, emissions decreased by 1-3% per year.

National projections indicate that Member States expect an increase in transport emissions in the coming years. Without the implementation of additional measures, an increase could be observed until 2025, while the subsequent projected reductions would still leave transport emissions in 2030 around 9% above 1990 levels. If Member States implement the additional measures planned to reduce transport emissions, these would peak in 2022 and be reduced thereafter. With these additional measures, 2030 emissions would reach a level of 6% below 1990 levels. Most planned policies and measures in the transport sector focus on promoting low-carbon fuels or electric cars, as well as encouraging a modal shift to public transport.

In addition to domestic transport, international aviation and international maritime sectors contribute to overall emissions related to transportation. GHG emissions from these sectors have increased since 1990. Among the domestic transport categories, only emissions from domestic navigation and railways have decreased since 1990. Furthermore, only road transport emissions are projected to decrease until 2030.

Road transport constitutes the highest proportion of overall transport emissions — in 2020 it emitted 77% of all EU transport GHGs (including domestic transport and international bunkers). As a majority of existing and planned measures in the Member States focus on road transport, this share is expected to decrease as road transport decarbonises faster than other transport modes. The largest increases up to 2030 are projected in the aviation sector, followed by international maritime transport, as they are not prioritised by national policies. These sub-sectors are therefore expected to constitute a higher proportion of transport sector emissions in the coming years.

See an overview of key negotiations in the context of climate change:

• 2021, July 29 – European Climate Law enters into force
  • The EU’s first climate law makes reaching climate neutrality by 2050. It also aims to achieve negative emissions after 2050 and sets an intermediary climate target of a reduction of net greenhouse gas emissions of at least 55% by 2030.
  • More detailed information is available here: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/28/council-adopts-european-climate-law/
• 2019, December 11 – An European Green Deal
  • The European Commission presents the Green Deal. Using the European Climate Law, it aims to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. Climate change and environmental degradation are an existential threat to Europe and the world. To overcome these challenges, the European Green Deal will transform the EU into a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy, ensuring: no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, economic growth decoupled from resource use, no person and no place left behind.
  • More detailed information is available here: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en
• 2018, October – UN IPCC releases its 1.5°C special report
  • The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases a report investigating the impact of a 1.5°C rise in temperature (above pre-industrial levels). It concludes that emissions will have to be reduced more than scientists originally estimated.
• 2017, June – President Donald Trump announces his intent to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement
• 2015, December – Paris Agreement is adopted
  • The Paris Agreement on fighting climate change is the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal. The objective of the agreement is to maintain the increase in global temperatures well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, whilst making efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees. The agreement aims to ensure global greenhouse gas emissions peak as soon as possible, and to balance emissions and removals of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century. Furthermore, the agreement addresses the adaptation to climate change, financial and other support for developing countries, technology transfer and capacity building, as well as losses and damage.
  • More detailed information is available here: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

• 2010 – The Cancun Agreements are adopted
  • The Cancun Agreements is a comprehensive package adopted by governments to assist developing nations in dealing with climate change. The Green Climate Fund is established.
• 2005, January – The EU’s Emissions Trading System is launched
  • The European Union Emissions Trading System, the world’s first and largest emissions trading scheme, is launched as a major pillar of EU climate policy.
• 1997 – The Kyoto Protocol is adopted
  • The Kyoto Protocol is the world’s first greenhouse gas emissions reduction treaty. The Protocol legally binds developed countries to emission reduction targets – an average of 5% by the period 2008-2012 with wide variations on targets for individual countries.
  • More detailed information is available here: https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol
• 1992 – Earth Summit in Rio
  • Governments are invited to sign the Convention on Climate Change at the Earth Summit in Rio.
• 1992, May – Convention on Climate Change is adopted
  • The text of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is adopted at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This is the key international treaty to reduce global warming and help cope with the consequences of climate change. For the first time binding gas emissions reduction targets are set for industrialised countries.
• 1990 – The IPCC produces its first assessment report
  • In its first assessment report the IPCC concludes that humanity’s emissions are adding to the atmosphere’s natural component of greenhosue gases. It underlines the importance of climate change as a challenge requiring international cooperation to tackle its consequences. The report therefore plays a decisive role in paving the way for the creation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
  • More detailed information is available here: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar1/wg1/
• 1988 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is set up
  • he Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a scientific and intergovernmental body under the auspices of the United Nations, providing the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge regarding climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts.
• 1987 – The Montreal Protocol is adopted
  • The protocol restricts the use of chemicals that can damage the ozone layer.
  • More detailed information is available here: https://ozone.unep.org/treaties/montreal-protocol
• 1979 – World Climate Conference in Geneva
  • This is one of the first major international meetings on climate change. Essentially a scientific conference, it is attended by scientists from a wide range of disciplines. It leads to the establishment of the World Climate Programme.
• 1972 – United Nations Conference on the Human Environment
  • This is the UN’s first major conference on international environmental issues and marks a turning point in the development of international environmental politics.

Currently the most discussed document is the European Green Deal:

• Are you wondering what the main point of the European Green Deal is? Take a look at this supplementary material and you’ll know right away – Document.
• Are you wondering what happens if we don’t act? Take a look at this supplementary material and you’ll know right away – Document.
• Are you wondering what is in it for you? Take a look at this supplementary material and you’ll know right away – Document.

Transport and the European Green Deal:

• With transport contributing around 5% to EU GDP and employing more than 10 million people in Europe, the transport system is critical to European businesses and global supply chains.

• At the same time, transport is not without costs to our society: greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, noise, road crashes and congestion.

• Today, transport emissions represent around 25% of the EU’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and these emissions have increased over recent years.

• Our goal of being the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 requires ambitious changes in transport.

• A clear path is needed to achieve a 90% reduction in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

• The European Commission adopted a set of proposals to make the EU’s climate, energy, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

Transport in the context of the European Green Deal is based on three objectives.

The Sustainable Mobility objective is based on:

The Smart Mobility objective is based on:

The Resilient Mobility objective is based on:

Full and detailed information is here: Document.

References:

• EEA, 2023. Greenhouse gas emissions from transport in Europe. EEA. Available at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/ims/greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-transport (Accessed: 23 January 2023).
• EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 2023. A European Green Deal. European Commission. Available at: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en (Accessed: 6 January 2023).
• EUROPEAN COMMISSION, 2023. Interactive timeline: a guide to climate change negotiations. European Commission. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/infographic/climate-negotiations-timeline/index_en.html#event-2015-12 (Accessed: 8 January 2023).
• EUROPEAN COUNCIL, 2023. Council adopts European climate law. European Council. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/06/28/council-adopts-european-climate-law/ (Accessed: 18 January 2023).
• IPCC, 2023. FAR Climate Change: Scientific Assessment of Climate Change. IPCC. Available at: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar1/wg1/ (Accessed: 16 January 2023).
• UNEP, 2023. Montreal Protocol. UNEP. Available at: https://ozone.unep.org/treaties/montreal-protocol (Accessed: 13 January 2023).
• UNFCCC, 2023. Kyoto Protocol. UNFCCC. Available at: https://unfccc.int/kyoto_protocol (Accessed: 11 January 2023).
• UNFCCC, 2023. The Paris Agreement. UNFCCC. Available at: https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement (Accessed: 4 January 2023).
• WEF, 2023. The European Union has cut greenhouse gas emissions in every sector – except this one. WEF. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/09/eu-greenhouse-gas-emissions-transport/ (Accessed: 19 January 2023).