While overall greenhouse gas emissions in the EU are decreasing, CO2 emissions from heavy-duty vehicles have been increasing every year since 2014, only decreasing in 2020 during the pandemic. The improvement in truck energy efficiency, made possible by the emergence of new fuels and technologies, is not enough to offset the increase in emissions due to the growing demand for freight transport.
· Trucks are responsible for about 5% of global CO2 emissions, or 1.8 billion tons (1).
· In total, 99% of the EU's heavy-duty vehicle fleet (trucks, buses, and coaches) are currently equipped with a combustion engine (2).
On February 14, the European Commission increased the decarbonization rates imposed on truck manufacturers: CO2 emissions will have to be reduced by 45% in 2030 compared to 2019, 65% in 2045 and then 90% in 2040. These new standards not only imply an intensification of the development of new zero-emission technologies but also the deployment of adequate infrastructure for recharging and refueling.
Innovations mainly focus on the development of electric and hydrogen trucks (via fuel cells or hydrogen combustion engines).
· Many manufacturers (Tesla, Renault, Volvo, Iveco...) are entering the electric truck market, which have the advantages of operating without direct CO2 emissions and significantly reducing noise and odor pollution. However, their environmental footprint over the complete lifecycle is still debated.
· Hydrogen particularly attracts truck manufacturers due to its ability to offer solutions with greater autonomy and shorter charging times than electric versions. With its fuel cell truck, Hylico made a sensation at the last edition of the Hyvolution show in early February. The French start-up plans to operate the heavy-duty vehicle using a negative carbon fuel derived from biomass thermolysis. Another example, last December, the 40-ton truck "GOH!", running on green hydrogen, hit the Swiss roads.
(1) Source IEA, 2021.
(2) Source CITEPA, 2023.
Air transport is the second largest source of CO2 emissions in transportation after road transport. Indeed, in the space of 30 years, technical advancements have enabled the sector to halve emissions per passenger per kilometer. However, this is insufficient to counterbalance the increase in emissions due to the rise in air traffic.
· Air transport emits nearly 2% of global CO2 emissions (1), or between 600 and 700 million tons per year according to sources, for a means of transport that only concerns 10% of the world population.
· It contributes 4.9% to global warming (1).
Since 2012, the European Union regulates intra-EEA (European Economic Area) flights through its greenhouse gas emission allowance trading scheme (EU ETS).
It also requires a portion of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) to be incorporated into the overall kerosene supply, with a progressive increase from 2% in 2025 to 63% in 2050.
At the global level, the EU is working with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) to implement CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation), a measure that encourages airlines to offset their emissions by financing green projects. Based on volunteer participation for a six-year pilot period, it will become mandatory for all airlines in 2027.
· Biofuels and e-fuels, grouped under the SAFs label, can be an alternative to kerosene, but their cost, 2 to 5 times higher than that of kerosene, hampers their adoption. Another important point, the carbon footprint differs significantly from one biofuel to another, approaching that of kerosene in some cases.
· Beyond reducing direct emissions to zero, electric planes offer many other advantages, such as high reliability and very low noise emissions. However, the capacity and weight of batteries limit the development of these devices to short flights with few passengers. Swedish company Heart Aerospace is currently working on the development of the ES-30. This regional transport plane, which is scheduled to enter service in 2028, will accommodate up to 30 passengers, with a range of 200 km in electric mode and 400 km in hybrid mode.
· By 2035, Airbus aims to launch the first "ZEROe" hydrogen-powered plane. Before the launch of this device, many technical challenges need to be overcome, particularly concerning fuel storage and delivery, the need for lightweight, cost-effective cryogenic tanks, and the design of the plane itself.
Useful link: Calculate the amount of CO2 emitted during your flight
https://www.icao.int/environmental-protection/CarbonOffset/Pages/default.aspx
(1) Perlman, K. (2018). Contribution of the Global Aviation Sector to Achieving Paris Agreement Climate Objectives.
Maritime transport is a growing source of CO2 emissions over the past 30 years, causing significant concern. This growth is mainly due to a record increase in traffic (number of passengers and freight volume) and the use of older, increasingly large ships.
Powered by heavy fuel oil, one of the world's dirtiest fuels, merchant ships are also blamed for their role in marine pollution caused by plastic and hydrocarbon discharge.
Significant advances were voted on by European MPs at the end of 2022:
It should also be noted that, since January 1, 2023, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has implemented a mandatory annual international data collection system for CO2 emissions for all ships.
Solutions to minimize CO2 emissions exist:
(1) https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6/wg3/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_Full_Report.pdf
(2) Global international shipping CO₂ emissions 1970-2021 – Statista – February 2023
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