Ecology

Tourism is a major economic sector in Europe. But its negative impacts on the environment and local communities raise concerns. Sustainable travel is growing, yet Covid-19 could change everything.

Unlike many industries, the manufacture of bicycles keeps on growing. This is mainly driven by the sale of e-bikes. The ever-increasing demand for them seems to be helping the industry to recover rapidly from the impact of Covid-19.

Cargo bikes play a big role in avoiding motorised transport of goods. Many European cities operate successful cargo bike subsidy schemes. Commercial use, private ownership, sharing— all forms of cargo bike use are on the rise.

Providing people with the options to safely walk, bike or use public transportation is paramount not only in creating a green and sustainable city, but also a liveable, people-friendly city.

Cyclists and pedestrians run a high risk of being killed in road traffic. At national and EU levels, a variety of initiatives aims to protect them better. However, more is needed to ensure effective pedestrian and cyclist safety.

The ‘last mile’ is often a key problem in public transport. Smartly planned intermodal intersections and digitalisation offer a range of possibilities to close that gap in the transportation chain—even with solutions for an individual mobility.

Inefficiencies in the transport system are caused by false prices. A high amount of costs is passed from the polluter to the general public. This ‘externalisation’ prevents fair competition in transport and must be changed.

The path going forward is clear: for road vehicles, electricity and alternative fuels will soon replace petrol and diesel. The climate protection potential of this move is high, but some problems still need to be solved along the way.

Detected five years ago, ‘Dieselgate’ remains partly unsolved, although national governments and the European Commission have offered a wide range of responses. Consumers criticise the scandal-handling by car manufacturers.

Increasing mobility and trade as well as the shortening of a vehicle's average life have led to a growing number of vehicles that have reached the end of their useful life in Europe.