On Wednesday, November 5th, the European Commission unveiled twin initiatives aimed at slashing transport carbon emissions across the continent by expanding high-speed rail links and boosting sustainable fuels for aviation and shipping. The first outlines a plan to connect European capitals by high-speed rail by 2040, both by upgrading existing lines and constructing new ones.
Under the proposal, travel times from Berlin to Copenhagen could be cut from seven to four hours, while a journey from Athens to Sofia would take six hours instead of nearly 14.
To that end, Brussels is working to remove barriers to cross-border rail travel–from harmonising ticketing systems, with a legal proposal expected early next year, to boosting competition to drive down prices.
The Commission also plans to bring together EU member states, rail operators and financial institutions to coordinate the massive investment needs–estimated at a minimum of 345 billion euros by 2040, rising to over 500 billion euros by 2050.
In parallel, the Commission on Wednesday adopted a plan to ramp up production of sustainable fuels for aviation and maritime transport, backed by nearly three billion euros in EU funding, to help the sectors meet their climate targets.
The initiative aims to accelerate the shift from pilot projects to industrial-scale production of low-carbon alternatives to kerosene, particularly e-fuels produced using decarbonised electricity.
