Elements for Life

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] 20

HE TRANSPORT SECTOR

accounts for approximately 25

per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO

) emissions. It is

the sector with the highest growth in emissions, and the

second largest contributor overall, after the electricity and heat-

supply sector. The additional effects of transport include

accidents, noise, congestion, land-use and air pollution; with

related damage to health, and to urban and rural environments.

Efforts to mitigate the level of emissions from transport are

in evidence. Fuel is cleaner than ever and the manufacture and

performance of vehicles is more environmentally friendly and

produces fewer, and reduced quantities of pollutants and

harmful emissions. However, these efforts are vastly

outweighed by the enormous increase in demand for both

passenger and freight services, along with the drastic growth

in road transport and aviation.

If developing countries adopt western travel patterns, the

number of cars and commercial vehicles, currently 800 million,

will rise to 1.6 billion by 2030. Based on present population

growth estimates, this is approximately one vehicle for every

five people on the planet. According to the European Transport

Forum 2003, this growth will be predominantly observable in

countries such as Brazil, China, India, Korea, Mexico, Russia

and Thailand where people are enjoying increased prosperity

and seeking greater mobility.

Climate changes have been estimated to represent 30% of

the total external costs caused by transport in Europe

(IWW/INFRAS 2004). This corresponds to 195 billion Euro

of which 57% is generated by road transport, 41% caused by

air transport and 1% by railways.

In spring 2006 the European Environment Agency (EEA)

launched its 2005 term report, challenging politicians to

resolve the conflict between transport and environmental poli-

cies. The EEA report identified a gap between the ambitious

aim of achieving sustainable development in the European

The consequences of climate

change to rail infrastructure

Margrethe Sagevik, International Union of Railways

Freight train in Swedish landscape

Photo: Jan Skoglund