International Energy Agency (IEA)
Speech by Kamel Ben Naceur
• The ratification of the Paris Agreement, less than a year after it was approved by 197
countries under the French Presidency at COP21 last December, marks an unprecedented
milestone in the global effort to combat climate change.
• Decarbonising transport is necessary to attain Paris climate goals, but also that slow
progress to date will test governments' commitments.
Transport: status
• Transport energy demand and GHG emissions depend on changes in transport activity
(passenger km and tonne km), shares of activity in different transport modes, the energy
efficiency of each mode, and the carbon content of fuels.
0 Passenger currently accounts for about 60% of total transport energy use and 58% of "wellto-
wheels" WTW emissions. The high energy intensity of road vehicles and airplanes implies
that energy use and emissions from passenger transport are currently determined primarily
by the magnitude of road vehicle and aviation activity.
• Freight currently accounts for about 40% of total transport energy use and 42% of WTW
emissions. Energy demand and GHG emissions come primarily from trucks. Marine shipping
accounts for the majority of freight transport activity (81%), but just under one-quarter of
freight transport energy use.
• Rail transport offers a more sustainable alternative to most other transport modes, both in
terms of energy use and carbon emissions per passenger-kilometre or tonne-kilometre, and
is anticipated to continue to do so over the coming decades, even in the presence of
substantial reduction in energy and carbon intensities across all transport options.
For transport, achieving the sustainable and low-carbon future depicted in the JEA 20S
scenario will require that transport emissions peak and begin to decline within the next ten
years. This will require considerably faster Improvements than historic rates.
• Meeting the 20S targets requires to:
o manage travel demand to avoid trips or shift travel to the most efficient modes
("avoid/shift")
o Improve the energy efficiency of vehicles; and
o reduce the carbon Intensity of fuels.
• This is consistent with:
o the need to strengthen the role of the least energy and carbon intensive modes of
transport; and
o a significant deployment of innovative technologies across all modes.
• High capacity public transport, including rail, is one of the key solutions allowing to move
towards more sustainable urban mobility systems, especially in the rapidly developing
megaclties of emerging economies
• The 20S also requires significant deployment of Innovative technologies across all modes.
Policy requirements
• National policies provide the indispensable framework needed to alter incentives and
thereby modify transport behaviour.
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frtetgy Agl'."nty
• City-level policies are important to encourage people to use personal vehicles less - by
avoiding or shortening trips, or by shifting mobility towards public transport options.
• Enacting policies that meet 2DS goals is very challenging. Communication is paramount to
support the policy deployment and needs to focus on the capacity to deliver multiple
benefits.
Urban transport policies with most relevance for rail
• Policies that promote compact cities are the first prerequisite for sustainable transport
systems. High urban density is necessary for the economic viability of public transport
supply. Greater density reduces trip distances, transport activity, related energy demand
and emissions. Well designed, dense cities also enhance the viability of pedestrian-oriented
streetscapes.
• Measures promoting densification and those aiming to direct transport demand towards
energy efficient modes are likely to benefit each other. Such policies are especially relevant
in emerging and rapidly growing cities in developing countries, and in cities in the developed
world with significant urban sprawl.
• Support for public transport needs to guarantee widespread accessibility and affordability
of mobility options having good quality characteristics and comes often in the form of
investments for the development of high capacity public transport networks (including
rail).
• Money destined to this purpose is best spent when the necessary urban density and mixed
use pre-requisites are In place.
Policies supporting intercity rail
• The electrification of intercity rail and the development of high speed rail also represent
opportunities leading to a limitation of the emissions and should be prioritized, pending the
need to carefully evaluate projects, taking into account for costs and benefits under
different prospects/scenarios of usage of the network.
Thank you very much for your attention
• The ratification of the Paris Agreement, less than a year after it was approved by 197
countries under the French Presidency at COP21 last December, marks an unprecedented
milestone in the global effort to combat climate change.
• Decarbonising transport is necessary to attain Paris climate goals, but also that slow
progress to date will test governments' commitments.
Transport: status
• Transport energy demand and GHG emissions depend on changes in transport activity
(passenger km and tonne km), shares of activity in different transport modes, the energy
efficiency of each mode, and the carbon content of fuels.
0 Passenger currently accounts for about 60% of total transport energy use and 58% of "wellto-
wheels" WTW emissions. The high energy intensity of road vehicles and airplanes implies
that energy use and emissions from passenger transport are currently determined primarily
by the magnitude of road vehicle and aviation activity.
• Freight currently accounts for about 40% of total transport energy use and 42% of WTW
emissions. Energy demand and GHG emissions come primarily from trucks. Marine shipping
accounts for the majority of freight transport activity (81%), but just under one-quarter of
freight transport energy use.
• Rail transport offers a more sustainable alternative to most other transport modes, both in
terms of energy use and carbon emissions per passenger-kilometre or tonne-kilometre, and
is anticipated to continue to do so over the coming decades, even in the presence of
substantial reduction in energy and carbon intensities across all transport options.
For transport, achieving the sustainable and low-carbon future depicted in the JEA 20S
scenario will require that transport emissions peak and begin to decline within the next ten
years. This will require considerably faster Improvements than historic rates.
• Meeting the 20S targets requires to:
o manage travel demand to avoid trips or shift travel to the most efficient modes
("avoid/shift")
o Improve the energy efficiency of vehicles; and
o reduce the carbon Intensity of fuels.
• This is consistent with:
o the need to strengthen the role of the least energy and carbon intensive modes of
transport; and
o a significant deployment of innovative technologies across all modes.
• High capacity public transport, including rail, is one of the key solutions allowing to move
towards more sustainable urban mobility systems, especially in the rapidly developing
megaclties of emerging economies
• The 20S also requires significant deployment of Innovative technologies across all modes.
Policy requirements
• National policies provide the indispensable framework needed to alter incentives and
thereby modify transport behaviour.
lnt~mat!Onal
frtetgy Agl'."nty
• City-level policies are important to encourage people to use personal vehicles less - by
avoiding or shortening trips, or by shifting mobility towards public transport options.
• Enacting policies that meet 2DS goals is very challenging. Communication is paramount to
support the policy deployment and needs to focus on the capacity to deliver multiple
benefits.
Urban transport policies with most relevance for rail
• Policies that promote compact cities are the first prerequisite for sustainable transport
systems. High urban density is necessary for the economic viability of public transport
supply. Greater density reduces trip distances, transport activity, related energy demand
and emissions. Well designed, dense cities also enhance the viability of pedestrian-oriented
streetscapes.
• Measures promoting densification and those aiming to direct transport demand towards
energy efficient modes are likely to benefit each other. Such policies are especially relevant
in emerging and rapidly growing cities in developing countries, and in cities in the developed
world with significant urban sprawl.
• Support for public transport needs to guarantee widespread accessibility and affordability
of mobility options having good quality characteristics and comes often in the form of
investments for the development of high capacity public transport networks (including
rail).
• Money destined to this purpose is best spent when the necessary urban density and mixed
use pre-requisites are In place.
Policies supporting intercity rail
• The electrification of intercity rail and the development of high speed rail also represent
opportunities leading to a limitation of the emissions and should be prioritized, pending the
need to carefully evaluate projects, taking into account for costs and benefits under
different prospects/scenarios of usage of the network.
Thank you very much for your attention