07/25/2023

How and to what extent can emissions be reduced by selected transport measures?

©fotohansel_Fotolia_91944450

Tension between traffic and air quality

Traffic is one of the main sources of nitrogen oxides and soot particles in Germany and causes increased pollution, especially in cities. The German government regularly prepares a national clean air programme to ensure compliance with the NEC Directive on the reduction of emissions of certain air pollutants (EU 2016/2284). Therefore, ifeu, together with AVISO, compiled the data basis for the transport sector on behalf of the Federal Environment Agency, which was incorporated into the development of the National Clean Air Programme 2023.

Effect of future abatement measures

Pollutant emissions from transport have fallen sharply in recent years due to the introduction of new emission standards, e.g. Euro 6, despite increased mileage. In 2005, traffic still emitted approx. 828,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides; according to calculations by ifeu for a reference scenario, this figure will be approx. 150,000 tonnes in 2030 with the measures already adopted by the federal government today.

In order to be able to ensure compliance with the maximum emission levels across all sectors in the future, the project examined further potential measures, including the introduction of the Euro 7 standard, greater promotion of electric vehicles and a general speed limit of 130 km/h on motorways. With further selected measures, emissions can thus be reduced to a total of approx. 120,000 kt in 2030.

For the calculations, the method  Modell TREMOD developed by ifeu was used.

To the study "Bewertung von Emissionsminderungspotenzialen zusätzlicher Verkehrsmaßnahmen" (in German)