Carbon emissions from UK transport are still running at similar levels to 1990, whilst other sectors, such as industry, electricity and heat, have achieved substantial reductions. At 116 million tonnes of CO2, transport contributes 25% of the UK’s emissions today, up from 21% in 2012.
Whilst the automotive sector has made huge strides forward in engine efficiency during that time, there are now 37 million vehicles in the UK, a figure which has increased every year, barring 1991, and shows no sign of stopping.
The Government acknowledges that “doing nothing is not an option”. The UK needs to move away urgently from fossil fuels, which contribute to climate change and impact on air quality.
Whilst the UK has a stretching target of 10% for renewable energy in transport by 2020, the UK’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) is actually capped at 4.75% by volume (about 3.5% by energy), with the current Coalition Government having no plans to increase this during its term of office.
Since the start of the RTFO in 2008, £1 billion has been invested in low carbon fuels by the private sector. These investments have generated 3,500 jobs, many of them in the highly skilled science and engineering sectors, helping to regenerate UK industrial heartlands such as Teesside, Humberside, the North West and Scotland. However, the cap on the RTFO is preventing the return on these investments from being realised.
Electric vehicles - may have a key long-term role to play in decarbonising UK transport, but only a limited role in the near term. Fundamentally, electric vehicles are only as low carbon as the electricity going into them. Currently, only 15% of our electricity supply is renewable. A widespread roll-out of low- carbon electric vehicles will require this share to increase dramatically, as well as a significant volume of additional generating capacity.
Furthermore, it will take a lot of time and money to build the necessary infrastructure, design and build suitable vehicles and boost consumer demand (only 11,897 applications have been
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made for the Government’s consumer grants). Whilst a move to electrification is desirable, we should not think that electric vehicles will be the whole answer. The internal combustion engine will remain dominant for many years to come and we cannot sit on our hands waiting.
There is an even bigger challenge ahead that the Government has just barely begun to address: sustainable air travel. This will always need liquid fuels. The private sector is already working on introducing low-carbon aviation fuel, but with the renewable fuel sector in both the EU and UK stalling, the UK is losing out on investment opportunities to both North and South America.
MANIFESTO ASKS
• Achieve 2020 targets - An immediate increase in the UK’s RTFO target and a clear and urgent trajectory to reach the 10% renewable energy target for transport by 2020
• Government Roadmap - A plan for the contribution expected from:
- traditional low carbon liquid and gaseous fuels - advanced low carbon liquid and gaseous fuels - electrification
• Policy visibility beyond 2020 - Support for all renewable transport options in the Member State Action Plan required under the European Commission’s 2030 Climate Change package
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