2021 marks the European Year of Rail, an initiative proposed by the European Commission as part of the EU’s efforts under the European Green Deal to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
This initiative is an opportunity to highlight the benefits of rail as a sustainable, smart and safe means of transport. A number of events and activities will be organised throughout 2021, aiming to put railways in the spotlight, restore customer confidence and encourage more people to use this mode of transport, reaching out in particular to the younger generations.
UIC is pleased to be part of this initiative and plans to organise a series of events involving a variety of sector activities (from passenger to sustainable development, mobility and the new normal, to name a few).
This dedicated webpage provides an overview of events this year – either hosted by or involving UIC – as well as associated communication materials and media, and will be updated on a regular basis. #EUYearofRail
The European Commission presented today its ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’ together with an Action Plan of 82 initiatives that will guide our work for the next four years. This strategy lays the foundation for how the EU transport system can achieve its green and digital transformation and become more resilient to future crises. As outlined in the European Green Deal, the result will be a 90% cut in emissions by 2050, delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system.
Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, said: “To reach our climate targets, emissions from the transport sector must get on a clear downward trend. Today’s strategy will shift the way people and goods move across Europe and make it easy to combine different modes of transport in a single journey. We’ve set ambitious targets for the entire transport system to ensure a sustainable, smart, and resilient return from the COVID-19 crisis.”
Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: “As the backbone that connects European citizens and business, transport matters to us all. We have no time to lose in getting it fit for the future. Digital technologies have the potential to revolutionise the way we move, making our mobility smarter, more efficient, and also greener. We need to provide businesses a clear pathway for the green investments they will need to make over the coming decades. Through the implementation of this strategy, we will create an irreversible shift to zero-emission mobility while making our transport system more efficient and resilient.”
Milestones for a smart and sustainable future
All transport modes need to become more sustainable, with green alternatives widely available and the right incentives put in place to drive the transition. Concrete milestones will keep the European transport system’s journey towards a smart and sustainable future on track:
By 2030:
at least 30 million zero-emission cars will be in operation on European roads
100 European cities will be climate neutral.
high-speed rail traffic will double across Europe
scheduled collective travel for journeys under 500 km should be carbon neutral
automated mobility will be deployed at large scale
zero-emission marine vessels will be market-ready
By 2035:
zero-emission large aircraft will be market-ready
By 2050:
nearly all cars, vans, buses as well as new heavy-duty vehicles will be zero-emission.
rail freight traffic will double.
a fully operational, multimodal Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) for sustainable and smart transport with high speed connectivity.
10 key areas for action to make the vision a reality
To make our goals a reality, the strategy identifies a total of 82 initiatives in 10 key areas for action (“flagships”), each with concrete measures.
Sustainable
For transport to become sustainable, in practice this means:
Boosting the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, vessels and aeroplanes, renewable & low-carbon fuels and related infrastructure - for instance by installing 3 million public charging points by 2030.
Creating zero-emission airports and ports – for instance through new initiatives to promote sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.
Making interurban and urban mobility healthy and sustainable - for instance by doubling high-speed rail traffic and developing extra cycling infrastructure over the next 10 years.
Greening freight transport – for instance by doubling rail freight traffic by 2050.
Pricing carbon and providing better incentives for users – for instance by pursuing a comprehensive set of measures to deliver fair and efficient pricing across all transport.
Smart
Innovation and digitalisation will shape how passengers and freight move around in the future if the right conditions are put in place. The strategy foresees:
Making connected and automated multimodal mobility a reality – for instance by making it possible for passengers to buy tickets for multimodal journeys and freight to seamlessly switch between transport modes.
Boosting innovation and the use of data and artificial intelligence (AI) for smarter mobility – for instance by fully supporting the deployment of drones and unmanned aircraft and further actions to build a European Common Mobility Data Space.
Resilient
Transport has been one of the sectors hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, and many businesses in the sector are seeing immense operational and financial difficulties. The Commission therefore commits to:
Reinforce the Single Market - for instance through reinforcing efforts and investments to complete the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) by 2030 and support the sector to build back better through increased investments, both public and private, in the modernisation of fleets in all modes.
Make mobility fair and just for all – for instance by making the new mobility affordable and accessible in all regions and for all passengers including those with reduced mobility and making the sector more attractive for workers.
Step up transport safety and security across all modes - including by bringing the death toll close to zero by 2050.
Background
With transport contributing around 5% to EU GDP and employing more than 10 million people in Europe, the transport system is critical to European businesses and global supply chains. At the same time, transport is not without costs to our society: greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions, noise, road crashes and congestion. Today, transport emissions represent around one quarter of the EU’s total GHG emissions.
This push to transform transport comes at a time when the entire sector is still reeling from the impacts of the coronavirus. With increased public and private investment in the modernisation and greening of our fleets and infrastructure, and by reinforcing the single market, we now have a historic opportunity to make European transport not only more sustainable but more competitive globally and more resistant to any future shocks.
However, this evolution should leave nobody behind: it is crucial that mobility is available and affordable for all, that rural and remote regions remain connected, and that the sector offers good social conditions and provides attractive jobs.
The future of the Earth and its inhabitants has never been more uncertain, but there is still time for us to prevent further catastrophe. Environmental pollution is one of the key problems faced in our modern world.
Though there has been massive technological advancement in these recent days, it has also invited negative effects to the environment. By doing a simple thing like planting a tree, we shall be making the world a better place and for sure we shall always live to be proud of our achievement.
"The world is a garden, and we are all its gardeners” -Professor Daniel Janzen, University of Pennsylvania, about 1965
Save the environment to save Life.
We can start with simple changes.
Experts say that proper handling of waste materials, such as reusing or disposing of them properly, should constitute an important part of our efforts to preserve energy and protect the environment. Countries worldwide should use less coal and more reusable power like hydro or solar power.
Let us plan our cities according to the available water resources and not avail water for too many homes that have been crammed into development. Saving energy reduces air pollution and greenhouse gases. The less we pollute our environment, the more we prevent global warming. Let us check the seas from rising and submerging our lands.
Increasing number of organizations are being formed to prevent the planet from premature extinction. More and more corporates have joined the race to save the planet. We can simply begin by buying recycled products for our office, home or school. The greater the demand for recycled products, the more these companies will be encouraged to add recycled material to their products.
We can also make simple changes, like using reusable bags and containers. We should try and conserve electricity by turning off the lights, TV, or other electrical appliances when not in use. Use cold water in the washer whenever possible.
Buy fewer disposable products. Ban plastic. Buy more fuel-efficient cars (such as a hybrid or electric) and recycle your engine oil. Use public transit whenever possible. Let us walk more and drive less to conserve fuel and prevent auto-emission.
We should avoid littering our roads and highways. And prevent others from doing so. Always dispose your litter properly. Littering is not just bad for the environment; it is also an offence carrying heavy fines.We use more organic fertilizers. Our farms need less pesticides and more organic methods.
Plant trees to improve air quality. Take a stand against deforestation.
Losing our rainforests means losing millions of trees that would otherwise be cleaning the air for us. Let’s teach our children to respect Nature.
