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The EU is committed to the long-term goal of a decarbonised and non-polluting system. Technical solutions and green incentives are an important part of the EU's strategy to reach this goal. These advances play an important role in reducing emissions to the atmosphere and thus, in reducing impacts on climate and air quality.

Transport is a key source of environmental pressures in Europe, especially greenhouse gases, air pollutants and noise. It also takes up large swathes of land and contributes to urban sprawl, the fragmentation of habitats and the sealing of surfaces. Road traffic is responsible for a large part of these adverse impacts. The EU is thus committed to the long-term goal of a decarbonised and non-polluting transport system. Technical solutions and green incentives are an important part of the EU’s strategy to reach this goal. Technological solutions range from the promotion of electric vehicles as alternatives to conventional combustion engine technologies to the promotion of transport fuels from renewable sources. These advances play an important role in reducing emissions to the atmosphere and, thus, in reducing their impacts on climate and air quality. These solutions can also lead to greater independence from fossil fuels and relief from unstable oil prices. Incentives to offer these cleaner technologies on the market, combined with environmental taxation, amplify the positive effects of these advances and provide the necessary push for innovation and environmentally-conscious purchases.

For further information on this topic, please consult our specific webpage on Electric vehicles, TERM 2018 - Electric vehicles from life cycle and circular economy perspectives, or our briefing Fiscal instruments favouring electric over conventional cars are greener.