Brussels – September 27, 2016
Almost one year after the historic agreement at the Paris climate change conference in December 2015 – where 195 countries adopted the first ever universal, legally binding global climate deal –, the 2016 edition of the European Transport Forum focused its attention on reduction of CO2 emissions from transport in Europe.
The high-level forum gathered top policy-makers and stakeholders to discuss the recently published European Strategy for Low-Emission Mobility, the challenges related to the implementation of the Paris agreement and the importance of prioritising the main drivers of emissions reductions. After the introductory keynote speeches of the European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Mr Miguel Arias Cañete and the Director of WWF Europe Ms Pons-Deladrière, European Commissioner for Mobility and Transport Ms Bulc addressed the audience with some very relevant points: the Commission is reviewing the Renewable Energy Directive and Member States will deliver soon their national plans for infrastructures. Moreover, the Commission is working on the revised framework for road charging systems – which will be presented in spring 2017 – as well as on a masterplan for the deployment of cooperative and connected automated vehicles.
In her speech, Commissioner Bulc stressed the importance of internalising the external costs in order to ensure equal opportunity conditions for all transport modes and stated that the Commission has ensured additional funding for Transport with the revision of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework.
