Reducing CO2 emissions from road transport - Overview of the main initiatives and technical measures proposed to date in Europe

The demand for fossil fuel in the transport sector is constantly increasing and transportation is ranked amongst the highest greenhouse emitting sectors globally. Tackling CO2 emissions from road transport is today a widely discussed topic and constitutes a milestone towards reaching a sustainable, carbon neutral, economy. This challenge is being described in various initiatives adopted in the European Union and other parts of the world. Several measures have been proposed and adopted so far for reversing the increasing greenhouse gas emissions trends. This paper attempts an overview of the existing policy framework in various countries focusing on European Union. In addition, the main technical measures proposed and promoted in this direction are presented and evaluated with respect to their greenhouse reduction potential. Special attention is given to emerging technologies such as hybrid vehicles and biofuels. The main factors differentiating the officially reported CO2 emissions from actual real life emissions are discussed and a brief evaluation of current European policy is presented.