European Environmental Policy for Road Transport: Analysis of the Perverse Effects Generated and Proposals for a Good Practice Guide

Authors: Pedro Pablo Ramírez Sánchez, Alassane Ballé Ndiaye, Roberto Rendeiro Martín-Cejas

Abstract:

The aim of this paper is to analyse the different environmental policies adopted in Europe for car emissions, to comment on some of the possible perverse effects generated and point out these policies which are considered more efficient under the environmental perspective. This paper is focused on passenger cars as this category is the most significant in road transport. The utility of this research lies in this being the first step or basis to improve and optimise actual policies. The methodology applied in this paper refers to a comparative analysis from a practical and theoretical point of view of European environmental policies in road transport. This work describes an overview of the road transport industry in Europe pointing out some relevant aspects such as the contribution of road transport to total emissions and the vehicle fleet in Europe. Additionally, we propose a brief practice guide with the combined policies in order to optimise their aim.

Keywords: Air quality, climate change, emission, environment, perverse effect, road transport, tax policy.

References:

[1] ACEA_Pocket_Guide_2019-2020.pdf n.d.
[2] Air - Policies - Environment - European Commission n.d. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/sources/road.htm (accessed June 8, 2020).
[3] Cleaner Air - Environment - European Commission n.d. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/cleaner_air/ (accessed June 8, 2020).
[4] Ambel CC. Europe’s tax deals for diesel. Transport & Environment 2015:28.
[5] ACEA_Report_Vehicles_in_use-Europe_2019.pdf n.d.
[6] Karan P. Japan in the 21st Century: Environment, Economy, and Society. University Press of Kentucky; 2010.
[7] Santos G, Behrendt H, Teytelboym A. Part II: Policy instruments for sustainable road transport. Research in Transportation Economics 2010;28:46–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2010.03.002.
[8] Chen Y, Borken-Kleefeld J. Real-driving emissions from cars and light commercial vehicles – Results from 13 years remote sensing at Zurich/CH. Atmospheric Environment 2014;88:157–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.01.040.
[9] Mercedes, the greatest deception in Europe’s car fuel economy history - report | Transport & Environment 2019. https://www.transportenvironment.org/press/mercedes-greatest-deception-europe%E2%80%99s-car-fuel-economy-history-report (accessed February 27, 2019).
[10] TREMOVE_Methodologies_Final_2012.pdf n.d.
[11] André M, Hammarström U, Reynaud I. Driving statistics for the assessment of air pollutant emissions from road transport. vol. 9906, INRETS Report; 1999, p. 194.
[12] Ramírez SÁnchez PP, Ndiaye AB, Martín-Cejas RR. Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVS): A possible perverse effect generated by Environmental Policies. Int J TDI 2019;3:259–70. https://doi.org/10.2495/TDI-V3-N3-259-270.
[13] Santos G, Behrendt H, Maconi L, Shirvani T, Teytelboym A. Part I: Externalities and economic policies in road transport. Research in Transportation Economics 2010;28:2–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.retrec.2009.11.002.
[14] ACEA_Tax_Guide_2020.pdf n.d.
[15] Government-subsidised plug-in cars may never have been charged - BBC News n.d. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46152853 (accessed February 27, 2019).
[16] Acutt MZ, Dodgson JS. Controlling the environmental impacts of transport: Matching instruments to objectives. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 1997;2:17–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1361-9209(96)00012-0.
[17] Alberini A, Edelstein D, McConnell VD. Will speeding the retirement of old cars improve air quality. Resources; (United States) n.d.;115.
[18] Fullerton D, West S. Tax and Subsidy Combinations for the Control of Car Pollution. National Bureau of Economic Research; 2000. https://doi.org/10.3386/w7774.
[19] Johnstone N, Karousakis K. Economic incentives to reduce pollution from road transport: the case for vehicle characteristics taxes. Transport Policy 1999;6:99–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0967-070X(99)00011-6.
[20] Sterner T. Fuel Taxes: An Important Instrument for Climate Policy. Energy Policy 2007;35:3194–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2006.10.025.