Alternative fuels
Transport system improvements
Mode shift and demand management
Energy efficiency
Electrification
Aviation and maritime
This category considers measures related to the use of alternative fuels (e.g. ethanol, hydrogen, LPG) except for electric mobility.
Mitigation – Low emission vehicle purchase incentives
This parameter refers to purchase incentives granted to consumers for lower emission vehicles (excluding electric and hybrid vehicles).
Mitigation – General alternative fuels
Any general reference to the use of alternative fuels in the transport sector is recorded here.
Mitigation – Biofuels support measures
Conventional diesel and gasoline can be mixed with less carbon-intense fuels. Many national governments set blending mandates (for example, 10% or 20% of diesel has to be biofuel). Any general biofuel blending mandates are covered here.
Mitigation – LPG/CNG/LNG support measures
This parameter is for measures that refer to liquified petroleum gas (LPG), compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquified natural gas (LNG) in the transport sector.
Mitigation – Hydrogen support measures
A relatively new fuel in the transport sector, hydrogen is used in fuel-cell electric vehicles. Green hydrogen that is produced using renewable electricity is seen as one important component of the energy transition in transport.
Mitigation – General renewable energy support measures
Renewable energy for transport looks at the use of biofuels, green hydrogen and green electricity. This parameter captures any actions that make a direct link between transport and renewables.
Mitigation – ICE (gasoline and diesel) bans
This parameter identifies efforts to phase-out of fossil fuel vehicles. The most common policy is a sales ban on new diesel or gasoline vehicles starting in a specific year. Such policies seek to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.
This category is for mitigation measures that address the entire transport system and closely related sectors. It covers planning, land use and infrastructure measures, but also considers transport system improvements, such as parking management, freight demand management and transport-related education activities.
Traffic management improvements
It looks at transport or a specific transport method with the goal of improving traffic flow.
National mobility plans
A national mobility plan provides a comprehensive long-term planning framework for the transport sector. It features a vision and timeframes for action at the national level. This parameter records any activities that focus on nationwide transport.
Sustainable urban mobility plans
A sustainable urban mobility plan (SUMP) is “a strategic plan designed to satisfy the mobility needs of people and businesses in cities and their surroundings for a better quality of life. It builds on existing planning practices and takes due consideration of integration, participation and evaluation principles”. If the document refers to a SUMP or an integrated approach on urban mobility, this is captured here.
Access improvement instruments (density, mixed use)
“Mixed-use” is an urban planning approach that combines several urban functions (living, working and shopping) in close proximity. One goal is to encourage short travel distances.
Mitigation – Infrastructure improvements
This parameter is for measures that outline general improvements in transport infrastructure or the transport system as a whole, without providing details about specific measures.
Expansion of infrastructure
Activities that aim to introduce new infrastructure or expand infrastructure for transport are captured by this parameter. If a measure is dedicated to a specific transport mode, then it might be captured under that specific parameter. Any general mention of expanding transport infrastructure is collected here. The expansion of infrastructure can have adverse effects also as it can lead to an increase in traffic acitivity and longer travel distances.
Freight transport shifting to rail or inland waterways
In freight transport, intermodality often entails a shift to less carbon-intensive transport modes (e.g. rail and waterborne transport). This parameter records any actions that support a shift of road freight to rail or waterways.
Intermodality measures
Intermodality is the combination of different transport modes with the goal of enabling convenient, seamless transfer between them. Any general activities that highlight intermodality but do not specify specific actions are included here.
General freight efficiency improvements
This parameter records general efficiency improvements in freight. If the document does not specify a specific activity or action that belongs to the other freight efficiency activities, then it is captured here.
Improving load
This parameter is for measures that encourage reliance on high-capacity vehicles (trains, ships, etc.) or increase capacity of freight vehicles in order to achieve lower carbon intensity per ton transported.
General education and behavioral change
This parameter is for general educational activities and behavioral change related to transport, e.g. concerning the environmental impacts of private vehicle use, the benefits of electric vehicles, etc.
Ecodriving
Ecodriving refers to educational measures that encourage more efficient driving practices. Such practices can reduce fuel consumption.
Mitigation – General transport and land use planning
This parameter records any general mention of transport planning.
This category is for measures that encourage more environmentally friendly transport modes or that reduce overall demand for motorised transport. It includes several pricing-related measures (taxes, subsidies and other economic instruments).
Mitigation – General innovations and digitalisation
This parameter includes activities that mention the use of innovation and digitalisation to improve the efficiency of transport.
Mitigation – Parking measures
This parameter refers to actions that aim to improve parking management such as pricing, quantity restrictions, parking reform etc. which then also contribute to a reduced demand of motorised travel.
Mitigation – Transport demand management measures
This parameter records any general mention of activities focusing on reducing demand for motorised transport.
Mitigation – Commuter trip reduction policies
This parameter refers to the management of circumstances and incentives for employee commuter travel and working arrangements to reduce traffic and automobile use.
Alternative work schedules (flextime, staggered shifts, compressed work week)
This measure looks at implementing variable work hours in order to reduce traffic congestion during rush hour and reduce commuting times. Any mention of flexible work hours, alternative work approaches and staggered shifts are included under this parameter.
General economic instruments
Economic instruments, taxes and subsidies are incentives to integrate environmental costs and benefits into the budgets of households and firms and incentivize green investments.
Mitigation – Emissions trading and carbon pricing
This parameter refers to emissions trading systems (ETS) or cap-and-trade systems: a pricing mechanism for emitted greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike a direct carbon tax, where the unit price of CO2 is fixed, under an emissions trading scheme, the price per tonne of CO2 varies. The overall amount of emissions is fixed for a given period of time (e.g. annually). Entities are allocated a set amount of CO2 emissions allowances, or quotas, and trade emissions with each another. Those able to reduce their emissions below their allowance level can trade them with those emitting in excess of their allowance.
Mitigation – Financial instruments to support decarbonisation
This parameter records financing instruments used to pay for technologies, projects and programmes that reduce GHG emissions. Financing instruments that aim to support decarbonization include climate finance solutions, investments in EVs, green bonds, etc. Not to confound with economic instruments!
Mitigation – Green public procurement
This parameter refers to stakeholders to taking into account environmental impacts when procuring goods and services. Applied to transport, it means that a public authority can develop green procurement regulations that, for example, only allow the purchase of zero-emission vehicles. Such measures can support the transition to cleaner public vehicle fleets and more sustainable consumption.
Mitigation – Fuel taxation
This parameter records national or local taxes on the sale of fuel. Every fuel type is taxed differently. One target of taxing fuel is to reduce fuel consumption and encourage more efficient transport modes.
Fuel tax
National and state governments impose taxes on the sale of fuel. Every fuel type is taxed differently. One aim of higher fuel taxes is to reduce fuel consumption and encourage more efficient transport modes.
Mitigation – Vehicle taxation
This parameter refers to taxes on vehicle purchase and/or ownership.
Import fees
This parameter includes fees that are applied to vehicle imports. For example, the purchase of private vehicles can be regulated through a surcharge on their importation.
Mitigation – Road charging and tolls
This parameter refers to surcharges applied to general or specific road use, including in particular highway tolls.
Company car taxation and treatment of business travel
This parameter records changes in the way company vehicles are taxed, including financial disincentives to business travel.
General transport subsidies
Any measures that discuss subsidies for transport in a general manner are covered here.
Mitigation – Fossil fuel subsidy elimination
This parameter refers to policies and decisions that eliminate or reduce subsidies for fossil fuels. Energy subsidies are used by governments to lower the cost of producing or consuming fossil fuels. Eliminating such subsidies can help to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
General access regulations
Any general measures that aim to regulate access by certain types of vehicles.
Mitigation – Car access restriction and low emission zones
This parameter covers measures that restrict vehicle use in designated zones. One method is to restrict operation to certain weekdays based on license plate number.
General public transport improvement
This parameter covers all activities that aim to improve the public transport system.
Public transport integration and expansion
Activities that aim to expand public transport or integrate different public transport services into a single system are covered under this parameter.
Express lanes/ public transport priority
This parameter looks at actions that give priority to public transport over other modes. Examples include transit signal priorities, access priority, intelligent transport systems and express lanes.
BRT
Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a bus system with high speed, capacity, punctuality and operating flexibility. Common characteristics of a BRT system include the use of bus-only lanes, advance ticketing, and articulated buses.
General active mobility
General measures that refer to walking and cycling are included here.
Walking measures
Any action that specifically mentions improving walking is included here.
Cycling measures
Any action that specifically mentions improving cycling is included here.
Mitigation – Intelligent Transport Systems
This parameter refers to intelligent transport systems that harness technology to improve the management and operation of transport services. Relevant technologies include sensors, wireless communications, notification systems and other ICT solutions.
Mitigation – Measures supporting autonomous vehicles
This parameter identifies measures that promote self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence and any other mechanisms that support the automation of passenger and freight transport.
Mitigation – Data and modeling improvements
This parameter identifies any measures related to transport data (e.g. collection, analysis or application) as well as models designed to predict traffic flows or transport demand growth.
Mitigation – Shared mobility
This parameter includes general measures in the area of shared mobility, such as bike sharing, car-sharing, shared scooters and so on.
This category is for mitigation measures related to vehicle fuel policies, vehicle improvements or alternative fuels.
Mitigation – Fuel quality improvements
A high-quality fuel contains very low levels of sulfur. Countries set fuel quality standards in order to guarantee fuel quality. This parameter covers any mention of clean fuels or better fuel quality in the transport sector.
Mitigation – General vehicle improvements measures
This parameter identifies any general vehicle improvement measures that are included in the document.
Inspection and maintenance
A well-maintained vehicle can ensure higher energy efficiency. This parameter considers measures that pertain to vehicle inspections or maintenance.
Vehicle air pollution emission standards
This parameter captures more stringent emission standards that regulate air pollution exhaust emission such as the EURO standards Euro1-6
Vehicle efficiency standards
This parameter captures measures designed to improve vehicle efficiency or lower transport emissions. This is done through fuel economy standards, which regulate how far a vehicle must travel when consuming a given quantity of fuel (e.g. in liters per 100 km or miles per gallon).
Mitigation – Vehicle restrictions (import, age, access, sale, taxation)
This parameter encompasses various restrictions to vehicle ownership or purchase, including import bans on older vehicles or sale restrictions on particularly polluting vehicles.
Vehicle scrappage scheme
In order to support the transition to cleaner, more efficient vehicles, governments may provide incentives when an owner scraps their current vehicle (rather than reselling it).
Mitigation – Labelling requirements
This parameter refers to measures requiring publication of information on environment impacts, this environmental impact can be GHG emissions, fuel consumption, carbon intensity of a fuel or local pollutants. All of the different labels are captured under this parameter.
This category includes mitigation measures that focus on the electrification of transport, including electric vehicle uptake, purchase subsidies and charging infrastructure.
General e-mobility
Any general policies that refer to electric mobility without specifying a transport mode or specific measure are covered by this parameter.
EV charging infrastructure
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is needed to promote the adoption of electric vehicles. Measures that seek to increase the number of public charging stations or facilitate more private/public charging points are covered here.
Smart charging policies
Smart charging refers to systems that optimize electric vehicle charging by prioritizing off-peak hours or times of high variable renewable feed-in.
EV purchase incentives
National and local governments can support the transition to e-mobility by providing financial incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles.
Mitigation – General micromobility
Micromobility refers to electric personal transportation devices, such as electric kick-scooters and other electric-powered devices.
This category includes mitigation measures in aviation and shipping. It is treated as a separate category as they require separate solutions.
General aviation improvement
Any general measures that focus on the aviation sector are referred to here.
Aircraft fleet renovation
Newer aircraft are generally more energy efficient. This parameter refers to activities designed to renew the aircraft fleet or only allow newer aircraft to operate.
Airport CO2 certification
CO2 certification systems aim to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by airports and ground operations. This parameter is for initiatives designed to improve the energy efficiency and carbon footprint of airports.
Jet fuel policies
This parameter refers to policies designed to lower the carbon intensity of fuels for aviation or to introduce alternative fuel sources, including biofuel blending mandates.
Air traffic management
Any measures that focus on improving air traffic are referred to here.
General shipping improvement
This parameter refers to any general measures that target shipping, maritime transport or inland navigation.
Support on-shore power and electric charging facilities in ports
While low-carbon fuels for ships are still being explored, there are already several solutions for providing electricity to vessel when docked. This is also commonly known as “cold ironing”.
Port infrastructure improvements
This parameter refers to improvements to ports and other shore-based facilities.
Ship efficiency improvements
The parameter identifies actions that aim to improve the energy efficiency of ships.
