Quantification of Savings for the European Transport Sector through Energy Efficient Urban Planning

The transport sector accounts for around 30% of Europe’s final energy consumption. It is important to quantify the energy savings potential in technology, infrastructure, and planning to meet the EU’s decarbonisation goals by 2050. This study analyses the European transport sector in the context of traditional and energy-efficient urban development. The latter demonstrates a scenario where accessibility results from enhanced proximity to a destination rather than increased mobility, shifting mobility from roads and aviation towards the rail. This development is ensured by, among other things, investing heavily in urban and inter-urban transport systems and abstaining from building new freeways and airports. The results indicate that shifting towards an energy-efficient transport system is desirable and economically beneficial. The development of the European transport sector in the proposed trajectory significantly reduces annual final energy demand. The reduced road transport cost pays back the investment in new infrastructure for rail, bikes, and walkable urban areas.