AG4 Policy Recommendations: Boosting Energy Efficiency in the Alpine Transport System
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Alpine Region is increasingly exposed to the impacts of climate change, as recent extreme weather events and infrastructure damages have shown. These developments highlight the urgent need to accelerate decarbonisation efforts, particularly in the transport sector, which accounts for more than one third of greenhouse gas emissions in the Alpine countries and approximately 30% of overall energy consumption. Given the Alpine region’s geographical constraints and limited potential for large-scale renewable energy expansion, unlocking the potentials of energy efficiency in transport is specifically relevant for the Alpine countries and regions. These policy recommendations highlight specific need for action – following the “Avoid-Shift-Improve” logic that also guides the EU Green Deal and Fit-for-55 package. EUSALP AG4 calls on decision-makers to:
1. AVOID redundant freight movements: Leverage digital solutions to reduce energy demand from the transport sector
Digital solutions offer significant potential to reduce energy demand in freight transport by improving coordination, interoperability, and operational efficiency.
- We call on decision makers at regional, national and European level to step-up their coordination efforts to provide the necessary digital tools, data interfaces and support for relevant technologies necessary to enable efficiency gains.
- Also, we urge all levels to strengthen the exchange of experiences and lessons-learned in a cross-border context, to allow a faster replication and scaling of successful approaches.
- Specifically, we call on decision makers at all policy levels for a stronger coordination with stakeholders from the industry and logistics sectors to boost pilot and demonstration activities and to ensure that efforts are in-line with stakeholder needs.
2. SHIFT freight transport: Boost efforts for modal shift in freight transport
To reduce the energy consumption of freight transport in the Alpine Region, a decisive shift from road to rail is essential, building on the Joint Declaration on Rail Transport endorsed by 15 Alpine regions.
- We call on decision makers at national and regional level to keep up their ambitious efforts to finalize the relevant TEN-T infrastructures.
- We call on decision makers at European level to implement the new provisions of the TEN-T regulation and urge the Member States to keep up with their commitments. Also, we call on the EU to swiftly move ahead the pending dossiers of the Greening Freight Transport package to improve planning security for all stakeholders involved in transalpine transport.
3. IMPROVE freight transport: Accelerate the market uptake of zero-emissions road transport vehicles and strengthen enforcement
Battery-electric trucks offer the highest energy savings among alternative drive systems for road freight, making their widespread adoption a key priority for decarbonising transport.
- We call on decision makers at regional and national level to step-up their coordination efforts and to use lessons learned for boosting the uptake of zero-emission technologies on the Alpine transit corridors, also ensuring that needs of the transport industry are met.
- We call on decision makers at European level to maintain an ambitious approach to implementing the EU Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) and to ensure that its provisions are adequately enforced.
4. Tackling the “ENERGY – EFFIECIENCY – FIRST” principle in tourism mobility
Tourism mobility is a major driver of energy demand in the Alpine region and must be addressed with the same urgency as freight transport. The greatest efficiency gains can be achieved by shifting from private car use to public and zero-emission transport options, both for travel to and within Alpine destinations.
- We call on decision makers at European, national, regional and local level to better coordinate their services for public transport, to ensure easy transfer from long-distance to regional and local services and especially to ensure a seamless information and possibly ticketing.
- We call on all levels involved in the EUSALP to better communicate existing good practices and successful approaches to allow a transfer to other regions.
The Policy Recommendations have been elaborated by the members of the Actions Groups of EUSALP, reflect the expertise of the AGs members and are meant for voluntary implementation by the decision makers when it comes to the Alpine Region.