CHARACTERISTICS AND FORMS OF THE URBAN CLIMATE
2.8.1 The Traffic as Pollutant Source

The growth in individual motorized traffic (IMT) – which can be expected to continue increasing in the future with the common market of the European Community and the opening of the borders to the East – places new demands on transportation policy. In many places, people today already speak of a collapse in traffic conditions on the roads, particularly in built-up areas. This increase in traffic is connected with a substantial burden on the environment, especially through noise and air pollution.

The emissions have not only local and regional significance. With CO2 emissions from transport, this aspect will receive a completely new global dimension (see also Chapter 2.11).

The automobile dominates person and cargo traffic in the Federal Republic of Germany. As such, in 2009 about 80% of the 1123 billion total person-kilometers were driven with passenger cars, and nearly 71% of the 583 billion total ton-kilometers were driven with trucks.

Figure 2/19 shows the proportion of pollutant emissions attributed to road traffic in the Federal Republic of Germany in reference to the year 2009. The amount of pollutants produced by traffic was 19% of particulate matter PM₁₀, 45% of nitrogen oxide (as NO₂), 10% of NMVOC, and 19,5% of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂).

The European Commission adopted a white paper entitled "Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area – Towards a competitive and resource efficient transport system" (KOM(2011) 144 final). The white paper studies our future transport challenges (dependence of transport on oil as energy source, CO2 emissions, increasing traffic volume, increasing costs through congestion, road safety). Ten goals for a competitive and resource efficient transport system are defined on that basis (DStGB, Deutscher Städte- und Gemeindebund (German Association of Towns and Municipalities), 2011).

These goals are very ambitious. They include:

1. Halve the use of conventionally-fuelled cars in urban transport by 2030; phase them out in cities by 2050. Achieve CO₂-free city logistics in major urban centres by 2030.


2. Reduce CO₂ emissions from maritime traffic by 40 % by 2050. Increase the use of low-carbon sustainable fuels in aviation to reach 40 % by 2050.


3. Shift 30 % of road freight over 300 km to other modes such as rail or waterborne transport by 2030. More than 50 % even should be shifted by 2050.


4. Complete a European high-speed rail network by 2050. Triple the length of the existing high-speed rail network by 2030.


5. Develop an EU-wide multimodal core network (TEN) by 2030 including a corresponding set of information services.


6. Connect all core network airports to the rail network by 2050. Furthermore, connect all core seaports to the rail freight system.


7. Deploy the modernised air traffic management infrastructure in Europe by 2020 and complete the European Common Aviation Area. Furthermore, deploy the European Global Navigation Satellite System (Galileo) by 2020.


8. Establish the framework for a European multimodal transport information, management and payment system by 2020.


9. Move close to zero fatalities in road transport by 2050. Halve road casualties by 2020.


10. Move towards full application of “user pays” and “polluter pays” principles and private sector engagement to eliminate distortions. Convert the transport system to generate revenues and thus ensure financing for future transport investments.