Strengthening low-emission mobility - international best practice analysis

Mobility contributes to people’s social participation and is of central importance to Germany as an industrial location. However, especially the growth in road traffic leads to health disadvantages due to increased nitrogen oxide emissions or particulate matter. In addition to air pollution, further negative environmental consequences such as noise or landscape fragmentation are caused by transportation. In Germany, the transport sector accounts for almost one-fifth of greenhouse gas emissions and is the only sector in which emissions have increased compared to 1990 levels. Considering these facts political measures and instruments are urgently required to strengthen low-emission and energy-efficient means of transport, as well as to promote eco-friendly drive systems and fuels.

Since previous measures in Germany have not been very effective and other countries have been more successful in creating a framework for sustainable transport, an international best-practice analysis on energy transition in transportation is being carried out in this project. In addition to the compilation of efficient and effective measures, the transferability of the instruments to the German context is examined. Thereby, an important information basis is created for the preparation of policy instruments by the German federal government.

As part of the project consortium, adelphi concentrates on the Japanese mobility market. Japan serves as an interesting example as an industrial country with its own automobile industry, but with a high share of rail use in passenger transport. adelphi describes the framework data of the Japanese mobility market and compiles relevant financial and regulatory instruments as well as information and communication measures. The analysis includes different means of transport and options concentrating on specific technologies as well as options that are open to different technology types. adelphi further examines the structural policies and instruments with regard to their effectiveness and efficiency. Hereby, the effect on GHG emissions and the implementation costs of the measures is of particular importance. On the basis of the analysis, instruments should be identified which might be suitable for Germany taking into account the political and economic framework.