The climate crisis has provoked a raft of new technological solutions, from the ridiculous to the sublime. In defining its transport policy for the coming years, the next European Commission will need to push industry towards sustainable change.

In the scramble to drastically reduce our emissions, an element of alchemy has crept into our thinking. The slow grind inherent in scientific and technological progress is no match for a sudden, miraculous transformation.

Great, sweeping promises are made that we can maintain our lifestyles – no, improve our lifestyles! – if we just invest public money and/or private money in the latest miracle cure.

Transport is perhaps the most salient example of an industry where the prospect of miraculous new technologies is too tantalising to pass up. Our current transport modes run almost exclusively on dirty tech. A clean replacement, naturally, is to be welcomed with open arms.

Will the hyperloop, which promises to hurtle passengers at incredible speeds through vacuum-sealed tubes, replace trains (or even planes)?

Can we substitute roads with solar panels? Will self-driving cars actually end traffic? Will floating airships rescue us from climate catastrophe? Should tunnels for cars be bore underground?

Will we soon move around cities in drone taxis? Will public transport be transformed forever by… whatever this thing is?

EU targets for synthetic aviation fuel at risk

In a rare show of unity, environmental organisations and oil companies have both warned that the EU’s targets for green jet fuels are in danger of being missed as investment into the production of synthetic fuels is so far not materialising.

A report by environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) has warned that of 25 planned industry-scale production sites within Europe for hydrogen-based kerosene, known as e-kerosene, none has reached the final investment decision yet.

The EU’s target is to have 1.2% e-kerosene within the fuel mix at European airports by 2030, which has been criticised as too low.

Because of the low quota, many investments into production sites would not be “bankable”, hence would not see their financing secured, representatives of oil companies have warned.

More subsidies would be needed “to close that gap”, BP’s Niels Anspach said.

But funding has just been cut as part of Germany’s budget crisis, which has seen the government slash €74 million of funding for alternative fuel production in 2024 alone.

“This is certainly a problem for Europe,” the EU Commission’s Jane Amilhat said.

Read the full story here. 

– Jonathan Packroff

Most cars on EU roads emit same carbon levels as 12 years ago: report

EU regulation failed to meaningfully reduce the level of carbon emissions from combustion engine vehicles over the last 12 years, making the uptake of zero-emission vehicles imperative to the bloc’s climate goals, a new audit has found.

EU targets for greener flights at risk amid lack of investment

In a rare show of unity, environmental organisations and oil companies have both warned that the EU’s targets for green jet fuels are in danger of being missed as investment into the production of synthetic fuels is so far not materialising.

BP pushes to extend definition of ‘advanced’ biofuels as green aviation targets loom

Oil giant BP Europe is pushing for a revision of the EU’s rules for biofuels, fossil fuel alternatives made from crops, animal fats, and waste, to allow more crops into the EU’s definition of ‘advanced’ biofuels that can be used for aviation.

The Brief – Technology can save the world, if we let it

If you follow the EU’s transport policy, there is one term you will hear over and over again: Technology neutrality…

Green hydrogen is the only viable route for aviation and shipping

Given its limited supply, green hydrogen must be reserved for hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as aviation and shipping, rather than directed towards sectors that can be electrified, writes Aoife O’Leary, the Founder and CEO of Opportunity Green, a climate NGO, and the SASHA Coalition.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

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