In her recent address at the Clean Transition Dialogue on Mobility, President von der Leyen emphasized the urgency of transitioning towards cleaner modes of transport. The dialogue brought together a diverse array of stakeholders, including representatives from ports, shipyards, trains, airlines, automobiles, and infrastructure providers.
Von der Leyen highlighted the significance of the transport and mobility sector, which accounts for approximately 5% of the European Union’s GDP and sustains 10 million jobs. Stressing the sector’s role as a driver of innovation, she pointed out advancements such as driverless vehicles and digitized traffic management systems.
Climate change was a central theme of the discussion, with von der Leyen noting the visible impacts, including extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and wildfires. She underscored the need for urgent action to mitigate climate risks, emphasizing that transport contributes about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU.
The President commended stakeholders’ dedication to cleaner transport initiatives and emphasized the importance of balancing environmental protection with competitiveness. She highlighted the European Union’s commitment to becoming climate-neutral by 2050, with legislation in place to support this goal.
Von der Leyen outlined key steps already taken, including the expansion of the Emissions Trading System to aviation and shipping, which incentivizes innovation and emission reductions. Additionally, efforts are underway to ramp up the production of sustainable fuels and accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure across Europe.
Infrastructure investment emerged as a critical aspect of the transition, with von der Leyen stressing the need for climate-proof infrastructure resilient to extreme weather events. The European Fund for the Trans-European Transport Network plays a significant role in supporting transport infrastructure projects.
Regarding clean fuels, von der Leyen cited examples such as methanol-powered containers and sustainable aviation fuels, emphasizing the importance of scaling up production to meet demand.
The discussion also touched upon the importance of stable and reliable supply chains, particularly for critical components like green steel and batteries. The European Union aims to diversify its supply sources to reduce over-dependency and strengthen resilience.
In conclusion, President von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s commitment to supporting the transport and mobility sector in achieving cleaner and more sustainable operations. The dialogue served as an opportunity for stakeholders to provide input on the implementation of legislative frameworks and receive support tailored to their specific needs.
