Document summarizes the main topics, ideas and facts from multiple sources focused on the decarbonization of transport in the EU, with an emphasis on intermodal mobility, especially in the context of rural areas and a shift to rail and bus transport.

Main findings:

• The importance of rural mobility: Rural areas play a key role in achieving transport decarbonisation goals, as around two-thirds of short-distance passenger car kilometres are on non-urban roads.
• Potential of intermodal mobility: Intermodal mobility, combining different modes of transport, such as rail, bus and cycling, has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.
• Challenges in the development of intermodality: Existing regulatory frameworks and cultural factors pose barriers to the development of intermodality, especially in rural areas. For example, public transport and public procurement laws often limit the participation of smaller operators and community transport services.
• The need for targeted policies: Targeted policies and financial instruments at EU level are needed to overcome these obstacles and promote intermodal mobility.

Main recommendations:

• Defining minimum standards: Introducing a directive that would require regions in Member States to develop clear minimum standards for access to mobility in rural areas, based on the size, population density, employment and service profile of the region.
• SRMP support: Supporting the development and implementation of Sustainable Regional Mobility Plans (SRMPs) in EU regions.
• Making bus transport more attractive: Supporting the development of more attractive and integrated infrastructure for bus terminals, for example through updated SUMP guidelines and the exchange of best practices.
• Targeted support for railway infrastructure: Identification and targeted support of investments in sections of railway infrastructure that represent obstacles to the development of rail transport.
• Financial incentives: Introducing financial incentives to support intermodality, such as subsidies for the use of intermodal infrastructure and investments in sustainable intermodal transport solutions.

The role of financing:

• European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cohesion Fund (CF): These funds can support the development of SRMPs, minimum standards for mobility services in rural areas and the promotion of low-carbon modes of transport.
• Connecting Europe Facility (CEF): The CEF can finance investments in intermodal infrastructure, such as rail terminals and logistics centres.
• Social Climate Fund (SCF): The SCF can support measures targeting vulnerable households, vulnerable transport users and vulnerable micro-enterprises in the context of intermodal mobility.

Decarbonising transport in the EU requires a comprehensive approach that includes targeted policies, financial instruments and behavioural change. Intermodal mobility, especially in rural areas, has huge potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to achieving the EU's climate goals. Spring

Our vision of “progress for humanity” is based on our commitment to universal mobility while supporting a zero-emission society. From the electrification of our models, to the launch of the IONIQ model range and our more than 20 years of research into hydrogen technology, we have continuously advanced on the path to more sustainable value creation. We firmly believe that the automotive industry has a great responsibility and an opportunity to take proactive steps against climate change. We promise to continue on the path we have taken for humanity and future generations – a path of continuous improvement in four key areas. (More on hyundai.com)

For the final edition of this year’s Green Deal Funding Alert, we bring you exciting news about the EU’s Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. The mission, which aims to achieve 100 climate neutral cities by 2030, is now extending its support to all cities across Europe. Read on to learn more about the Cities Mission’s latest funding calls and training opportunities.

1. The EU Cities Missions Platform offers all EU cities opportunities for mutual learning and access to online resources!

We are happy to announce that the Cities Mission Platform is now extending its support to all cities across Europe and Horizon countries. This is a great opportunity for cities striving to achieve climate neutrality. (More on cor.europa.eu)

Document summarizes the main themes and key insights from the policy brief "Towards climate neutrality and a resource-efficient economy: Policy progress in rich democracies" by Christof Schiller and Thorsten Hellmann.

Main topics:

• Evaluating the effectiveness of policies aimed at transitioning to a resource-efficient and climate-neutral economy in 30 OECD and EU countries.
• Analysis of progress in three key areas:Implementation of climate policy frameworks
• Implementing strategies to build a decarbonized energy system by 2050
• Adopting circular economy approaches
• Identification of opportunities and barriers affecting the success of transformation policies.

Key findings:

• Climate action:
• Rich democracies that have implemented ambitious and consistent climate policy frameworks have often also developed effective policies for the transition to a decarbonized energy system or circular economy.
• However, even leaders such as Sweden, Finland, Spain and Denmark still face challenges in aligning policy objectives, institutions and policy measures or in developing safeguards to ensure the effective implementation of their ambitious climate policies.
• All 30 OECD and EU countries assessed are just beginning to prepare for the transition to a circular economy.
• "So far, none of the 30 countries surveyed have demonstrated full commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050."
• The average score for ambition and policy direction (6.5) is lower than the average score (6.7) for past policy outcomes, highlighting the urgent need to identify and address obstacles to progress.
• Decarbonized energy system by 2050:
• The energy sector is responsible for almost three quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• Achieving climate neutrality by mid-century depends crucially on the successful decarbonization of national energy systems.
• The average score of 6.0 across all key indicators suggests that the 30 EU and OECD countries assessed still have a long way to go in the transition to a zero-emission energy system.
• Denmark, Latvia and Finland have made the most progress towards the goal of a net-zero energy system.
• Canada, the United States and Australia have made the least progress in decarbonizing their energy systems.
• Circular economy:
• The development of a circular economy strategy is still in its early stages in most countries.
• The limited available policy outcome indicators suggest that Italy, Germany and Spain are relatively well prepared to start the transition to a circular economy.
• With an average score of 6.1, industrialized countries face a long way to go in decoupling economic growth from resource consumption.

Conclusion and outlook:

• Assessing the extent to which rich democracies are moving towards climate-neutral and circular economies requires more than just examining past policy outcomes.
• Countries with more ambitious and cohesive climate strategies have often also developed effective policy approaches to transform their energy systems and, to a lesser extent, to develop a circular economy.
• The transition to a circular economy is largely in its early stages.
• No country is fully prepared to achieve a climate-neutral and resource-efficient economy in the foreseeable future. Even leaders face significant challenges.
• For transformational policies to succeed, it is essential to consider the broader political context.

Recommendations:

• Better alignment of policy objectives with existing regulations.
• More robust safeguards to ensure effective implementation of climate transition policies at all levels of governance.
• Considering the broader political context and strengthening the legitimacy of transformation policies.

This document provides an overview of the key themes and findings from the aforementioned policy brief. For a more detailed analysis and further information, please read the original document. Spring

A carbon offset credit is a certified unit that corresponds to one metric ton of CO2 or its equivalent of another greenhouse gas. These credits are created through projects that either reduce emissions or capture them. Examples include renewable energy projects such as solar and wind power, afforestation and conservation of existing forests, energy efficiency improvements, and landfill methane capture projects.

Organizations that cannot directly reduce their emissions to the required level can purchase these credits to offset their emissions. In this way, they support projects that contribute to the overall reduction of global emissions.

"No institution, no company will be carbon neutral without the use of carbon offsets. There is literally no way to reduce emissions to zero.” 

Carbon credit market mechanism

The market for carbon offset credits is divided into two main segments: the regulated and the voluntary market.

1. Regulated market: This market is defined by international and national regulations, such as the Emissions Trading System under the Kyoto Protocol or the European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). Organizations in these jurisdictions are required to meet emission limits and must purchase carbon credits if they exceed them.

2. Voluntary market: This market allows individuals and organizations to offset their emissions voluntarily, outside of legislative or regulatory frameworks. Many companies use this market as part of their corporate social responsibility strategy to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability.

Certification and credibility

The credibility of carbon offset credits is essential. Therefore, there are several certification programs and standards that ensure that emission reductions are real, measurable and additional (ie, emission reductions would not have occurred without the project). Some of the most well-known certification standards include Verra's Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), Gold Standard and The Climate Action Reserve.

Criticism and challenges

Although carbon offset credits are a valuable tool for mitigating climate change, they also face some criticism and challenges. Critics say they allow polluters to "buy off" their carbon footprint without actually reducing emissions. Another concern is that not all emission reduction projects have the same impact, and some might even proceed without support from offset credits.

There is also the question of how effectively and transparently these projects are evaluated and monitored. However, without offset credits, many sectors would face a huge challenge in achieving net zero emissions. This is especially true for industries where the technologies required for full decarbonization are not yet available or economically viable.

Despite these challenges, carbon offset credits remain an important tool on the path to a carbon-neutral future. To achieve optimal efficiency, they require thorough evaluation and continuous improvement of standards and certification processes, as well as innovation in emission reduction technologies. Spring

Green transformation is currently being tackled by all large corporate entities on the market. How to meaningfully invest in decarbonization while maintaining competitiveness are questions that most major industrial companies across Europe are dealing with. Decarbonization, or reducing the carbon footprint, however, is not only solved by clients, but also by banks. In the case of the banking sector, the effort is even more complicated, since the carbon footprint of banks is created primarily indirectly, by loans provided to bank clients. (This article is PRestige, commercial content created in collaboration with the client and the team Forbes BRANDlab,)

It is generally expected that the achievement of net zero global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) with decreasing emissions of other greenhouse gases will stop global warming. CO emissions ₂ they will continue to drive warming until it is fully balanced by active anthropogenic CO removal ₂ . However, for practical reasons, many GHG accounting systems allow some "passive" absorption of CO to be included in the definition of net anthropogenic emissions ₂ , such as increased vegetation growth due to CO fertilization ₂ . By including passive CO absorption ₂ would nominally net zero emissions not stop global warming, undermining the Paris Agreement. Here we discuss measures to address this problem to ensure that the use of residual fossil fuels does not cause further global warming: land management categories should be disaggregated in emissions reports and targets to better separate the role of passive CO sinks ₂ ; if possible, the claimed removal should be in addition to passive income; and targets should recognize the need for Geological Net Zero, which means one ton of CO ₂ permanently renewed on the solid Earth for every tonne still generated from fossil resources. We also argue that a scientific understanding of net zero provides a basis for assigning responsibility for the protection of passive carbon sinks during and after the transition to geological net zero. (Myles R. Allen, David J. Frame, Kirsten Zickfeld , more at nature.com)

The global push for net zero emissions has gained unprecedented momentum in recent years, driven by the urgent need to address climate change and its far-reaching consequences. As nations, industries and organizations around the world commit to ambitious carbon reduction goals, chemistry plays a critical role in achieving these goals.

Net zero country

The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, set the stage for global climate action to limit global warming to well below 2°C, preferably 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. As of 2023, more than 70 countries, including major economies such as the US, China and the EU, have set net zero targets, with many committing to achieve net zero emissions by the middle of this century. (AJIT SHARMA, more at chemistryworld.com)

As the world moves towards sustainability, electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming central to reducing carbon emissions and fighting climate change. Nations and industries have committed to the transition to electric cars, signaling a giant step towards a greener future. While the benefits of electric vehicles are promising, this shift comes with challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of a carbon-neutral future.

Electric vehicles offer a range of environmental and economic benefits. Foremost among them is the potential to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Traditional combustion engine vehicles are among the biggest contributors to air pollution, with transport accounting for nearly 30 percent of global CO2 emissions. By replacing fossil fuel powered cars with electric cars, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint, especially when combined with renewable energy sources for charging. (More on  tribune.net.ph)

The Commission has today selected 85 innovative net-zero projects to receive €4.8 billion in grants from the Innovation Fund, which will help bring cutting-edge clean technologies to life across Europe. For the first time, as part of the call for proposals until 2023, projects of various scales (large, medium and small, in addition to pilot projects) and with a focus on the production of clean technologies are awarded. This is the largest amount since the launch of the Innovation Fund in 2020, which the total amount of support increased to EUR 12 billion and the number of projects increased by 70 % .

The selected projects are located in 18 countries: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and Norway. They cover a wide range of sectors from the following categories: energy intensive industries, renewable energy, energy storage, industrial carbon management, zero mobility (including maritime and aviation) and buildings. (More on ec.europa.eu)

Based on the directive (EU) 2023/2413, which was revised on November 20, 2023, the framework of renewable energy within the European Union was revised, while this updated regulation, (viac…)

The research article presents a comprehensive model called CLEVER, which deals with the energy transformation of Europe with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The model points to the importance of the concept of sufficiency in reducing energy consumption and emphasizes that this strategy is key to achieving a sustainable transformation of the energy system in Europe. CLEVER proposes to reduce final energy consumption by 50 % by 2050 compared to 2019, with at least 40 % of this reduction attributed to measures to promote sufficiency. The article also emphasizes the need cooperation between countries at the level of energy exchange and transmission of hydrogen and electricity, in order to reduce dependence on energy imports from third countries and ensure greater energy security and resilience of the entire system. (More on nature.com)

Today, the European Commission issued the first of a series of guidance documents to support EU countries in the transposition and implementation of the revised directive on the energy performance of buildings into national law. Today's guidance (C/2024/7161) clarifies the requirement under Article 17 para. 15 to end any financial incentives for the installation of new stand-alone fossil fuel boilers by 1 January 2025 at the latest. In particular, the document clarifies the terms "standalone fossil fuel boiler" and "hybrid heating system", as well as "installation" and "financial incentives". For example, no grants, soft loans, or fiscal incentives such as reduced tax rates can be provided for the purchase, installation, and commissioning of new stand-alone natural gas, diesel, or coal-fired boilers, regardless of whether the installation is part of a renovation project or not. No public authority at national, regional or local level shall provide economic support and/or support through public resources to purchasers, installers and third parties for the installation of such boilers. (More on energy.ec.europa.eu)

New research has found that efforts to reach net zero are being undermined by a number of carbon accounting schemes. Research led by academics from the University of Bath shows that multiple systems drive up costs and prevent well-meaning companies from effectively accounting for their carbon emissions, while creating loopholes that can be exploited by others.

It also found that systems that count carbon geographically, within industry groupings or based on consumption or products are limited by allowing emissions to be outsourced from accounts, causing inaccuracies.

The document also calls for and proposes a unified approach that would enable the linking of accounts, meaning that new circular economy processes could be properly reported. (Will McManus, University of Bath, more at phys.org)

The carbon cycle is a fundamental process that involves the movement of carbon between the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere and geosphere. Carbon is an essential element necessary for life on Earth, but its excessive presence in the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) contributes to climate change. The European Union is therefore committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 by focusing on reducing carbon emissions and promoting its removal.

There are three main strategies to achieve a sustainable carbon cycle:

1. Decarbonisation: This includes reducing the consumption of fossil fuels and increasing energy efficiency, the transition to renewable energy sources and the circular economy.

2. Carbon recycling: This is the use of waste, renewable biological resources, and CO2 directly from the atmosphere to produce synthetic fuels and materials that are essential for some industrial sectors.

3. Carbon sequestration: This includes technologies and processes that capture and store CO2 from the atmosphere. Solutions can be based on natural systems, such as agriculture and forestry, or on industrial technologies.

The European Union emphasizes the need for transparent and effective monitoring and certification of carbon removal, which are crucial for the successful implementation of these measures. Supporting research, innovation and pioneering infrastructure projects for CO2 capture and transport is key to developing a sustainable carbon cycle.

Carbon farming is an example of how farmers can be rewarded for ecological practices contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions. In addition to environmental benefits, carbon farming will also bring new economic opportunities for farmers.

A comprehensive approach to solving the carbon cycle contributes not only to the mitigation of the climate crisis, but also to the support of biodiversity, food security and the sustainable development of society. (More on eur-lex.europa.eu)

The pursuit of a carbon-neutral future is accelerating. Through the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, nations pledged to limit climate change by limiting the rise in global temperatures to no more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. To achieve this, collective global emissions must reach zero by 2050, if not sooner.

Over the past five years, governments, businesses and institutions around the world have been proliferating net zero and other climate-related commitments. While the rapid growth is striking, the commitments and associated roadmaps are not uniform. Historically, EU-based corporations have been more proactive in adopting climate-related goals, largely due to strict regulations and a strong emphasis on sustainability within the European Union. But American corporations are catching up, leading to increasing pressure from investors, consumers and government incentives. Companies in sectors including technology, finance, power generation and fossil fuels are well ahead of companies in biotech, healthcare and retail. Growing global emphasis and healthy skepticism are leading companies to ensure the integrity of net-zero commitments and develop plans to achieve them by 2050. (Jay Cuclis, Michael Watson, Ingrid York, more at lexology.com)

The European Commission has published a new call for projects to support research and innovation within the Climate Neutral and Smart Cities mission: Changing urban spaces and mindsets in order to accelerate the transition to climate neutrality. Mission  EU for climate-neutral and smart cities (Cities Mission) supports 100 cities from 27 EU member states and 12 cities from countries associated or with the potential to be associated with Horizon Europe in their transformation towards climate neutrality. 2030. A total of EUR 98 million is available under this new call for project proposals with a closing date of 11 February 2025. The call covers four themes:

The European Union (EU) has an ambitious plan ahead of it that could fundamentally change the automotive industry. From 2035, the sale of new cars with combustion engines is to be banned in the EU, which means the definitive end of petrol and diesel vehicles. This step is part of the so-called The Green Deal, which is supposed to ensure that Europe becomes the first climate-neutral continent by the middle of the century. While Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, has repeatedly emphasized her commitment to this policy, discussions about alternatives are still ongoing.

One of the possible ways to keep combustion engines in the game even after 2035 is the use of synthetic fuels. These fuels could allow the continued use of existing engines while meeting strict EU environmental standards. Synthetic fuels are produced by chemical processes that often involve the use of renewable energy sources. If it is possible to achieve that the entire production and supply chain of these fuels will be climate neutral, they can be considered an ecological alternative to traditional fossil fuels.

In 2026, the EU plans to reassess the possibility of using synthetic fuels for internal combustion engines, which could change the entire framework of the legislation. This decision could mean that internal combustion engines could remain on the market, albeit in a limited form, as an environmentally acceptable choice. Support for synthetic fuels has strong political and economic motivations, especially in countries with a significant automotive industry. Politicians and leaders of the automotive industry see synthetic fuels as a way to maintain the competitiveness of the European automotive sector on a global scale. As the EU moves towards a complete ban on combustion engines, synthetic fuels represent a potential game-changing alternative. However, the future of synthetic fuels is still uncertain and will depend on technological advances, economic conditions and legal standards within the EU. Thus, the discussion about what form car transport will take in Europe after 2035 continues, with major ecological and economic interests at stake. (Co2AI)