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Prudent development - a shared responsibility

12 Transport

To achieve sustainable development in the field of transport, the Government primarily intends to decouple growth in the impact of transport on the environment and health from economic growth. Health, environmental and safety considerations must be integrated into transport policy.

The Government's long-term benchmarks call for the transport sector to make its fair contribution to reducing the national emission of greenhouse gases and to ensure that air pollution from traffic constitutes no health hazard to the population. Traffic noise must be reduced to a level which ensures that nobody is exposed to negative health impacts. It must be safe for everybody to be transported. The negative impact of the transport system on the natural habitats of animals and plants must be curbed.

The transport system must ensure that the population has access to work, shops, public service and leisuretime activities, and all citizens must be ensured efficient mobility through public and private transport solutions. Denmark must offer trade and industry excellent transport links to the surrounding world, and traffic congestion should only occur during peak periods. High traffic flow should be ensured for public and private transport, including cycle and pedestrian traffic.

The public expects to have safe, flexible and swift access to workplaces, shops, recreational activities and holidays. An efficient, modern transport system offering a high traffic flow is necessary to provide the mobility required for meeting these demands. Accessibility and effective mobility are welfare benefits that must also be secured and developed for future generations through Denmark's transport policy.

At the same time, traffic in a modern society has several negative effects on health and the environment that jeopardise the overall welfare of society. Concerns for public health, the environment and the future of successive generations thus determine the framework of a modern transport system. This does not entail restrictions in accessibility and mobility but means that forms of transport must be found that create less traffic, fewer accidents and less pollution.

For the past decade, an integrated transport policy has also embraced environmental considerations - at both EU level and in Denmark - and this must continue. Denmark has already set a range of objectives covering such issues as CO₂ emissions, noise and air pollution from transport, and has initiated targeted activities to reach the goals.These activities will be followed up against the background of new knowledge concerning the interaction of transport with the environment and health. At the same time, a broader perspective is required - towards international cooperation and cooperation with other sectors, regional and local authorities and other central players - to find longterm solutions to the challenges facing the transport sector. Many transport problems and their solutions are closely linked with international developments, which means that Denmark cannot implement the necessary initiatives through national instruments alone.The development of new technologies and international transport taxes are just two examples. Moreover, sustainable transport policies can only be implemented by interconnecting transport issues with other sector policies, notably urban and housing policies, industrial policy, economic policy, and direct and indirect tax policy.

We need to be aware of these prerequisites since most transport ultimately serves purposes other than traffic as such.The various measures should also be used where they will best benefit the environment and the national economy.

Danish and international experience indicates that technological progress is often the least painful way of developing a more environmentfriendly transport sector.

In its work to enhance sustainable transport, the Government has therefore accorded high priority to promoting technological development. However, because technological development cannot solve all transport sector problems, it will be integrated into a broad strategy together with physical planning, information and dialogue on transport habits, combined with economic instruments and other elements.

Since the Brundtland Report and the 1992 Rio Conference, a number of analyses, discussion papers and action plans focusing on the challenges to the transport sector have been drawn up. In addition, several concrete initiatives have been launched with the aim of increasing sustainability in the transport sector. At EU level, Denmark contributed to shaping the 1999 EU Transport Council's strategy for integrating environmental concerns and sustainable development into the transport policy of the Community.

Since the Rio Conference, the negative effects of transport on health and the environment in Denmark have declined, chiefly due to targeted efforts to improve engine technology, fuel quality and road safety. In the EU, agreements with the automobile industry and steadily more stringent standards for vehicle emissions have resulted in considerable progress in this area.

The Government's system of taxes to encourage the choice of less polluting vehicles and fuels has been particularly successful. Differential taxes on lead and sulphur-containing fuels have eased the transition to cleaner fuels that took place during the 1980s and 1990s.The system of taxes has also been used to promote the use of more energyefficient vehicles. One example of this is the conversion of the vehicle excise duty into the 'green owner tax' on passenger cars in 1997. Moreover, electric cars are exempt from vehicle registration tax and, similarly, the most energy efficient car models are subject to a lower vehicle registration tax.

According to Government and international estimates, the demand for transport will continue to rise for many years to come, with the growing economic welfare in society continuing to be a major contributor. Globalisation, urban growth, increasing car ownership and changed travel habits are other contributory factors. The increase in traffic volumes will result in higher emissions of greenhouse gases, increased consumption of resources and more pressure on natural and residential areas. A broad strategy taking into account the various reasons for traffic growth will make it possible to lower the demand for transport. In that manner, we can prevent traffic growth from undermining the Government's objectives for traffic flow, the environment and health concerns.

In our present state of knowledge, the greatest traffic-related health risk stems from accidents and air pollution, including fine soot particles from vehicles. Excessive noise levels have also been shown to impact negatively on human health.

Objectives and activities 2001-2006

CO₂. In April 2001, as an element of the followup to the Government's climate strategy, Climate 2012, the Government presented a CO₂ action plan for the transport sector.The plan proposes the implementation of a wide range of instruments to ensure that the transport sector also contributes fairly and realistically to meeting Denmark's international commitments in the climate area.The Government's objective is to cut CO₂ emissions by 7 per cent from the level of pollution expected without the initiatives of the action plan. This will halt the steady increase in CO₂ emissions from the transport sector. In the long term - i.e. up to 2030 - the Government intends to curb CO₂ emissions from the transport sector by 25 per cent compared to the 1988 level.This ambitious benchmark is made on the assumption that economic growth is decoupled from developments in CO₂ emissions from the transport sector.

Air pollution and the urban environment. By the year 2010, the Government aims to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons by 60% compared to the 1988 level and to halve emissions of soot particles from urban traffic during the same period. Special measures will be initiated to restrict the impact of traffic on the urban environment and related health implications. Air pollution in the form of fine soot particles gives rise to particular problems.The Government will consider ways of promoting the installation of effective particulate filters in trucks and buses.The technology for the installation of filters has yet to be fully developed for diesel-fuelled vans and passenger cars, which account for some 60 per cent of particulate emissions. When that has been achieved, the Government will also consider how to promote the use of particulate filters in this field. Diesel cars are more energy efficient than petrol-powered cars and, therefore, cause lower CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, diesel cars cause higher emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x).The Government also intends to work with local authorities and encourage them to support local plans for an improved urban environment, for instance via the possibilities offered by the amended Road Traffic Act of 2000. The new Act paves the way for pilot projects involving environmental zones and other initiatives. Finally, funds have been set aside in the Transport Pool for projects aimed at following up the CO₂ action plan and improving the urban environment and road safety.

Road safety. The goal of the Danish Road Safety Commission's action plan for 2000 is to reduce road casualties (fatal and serious injuries) by 40% by the end of 2012.The Government intends to realise this goal through measures to constrain traffic speeds and encourage the wearing of seat belts, improvements in road design, marking and traffic development as well as more information and better training for road users. An accident commission for road traffic accidents will also provide more knowledge about what causes accidents. Research into traffic-psychology aspects and roaduser behaviour, including vulnerable roadusers, will be intensified. In addition, the Government will promote corporate strategies for road safety and the environment in all state enterprises.

Noise. The Government's goal is to reduce the number of homes seriously affected by noise to 50,000 by the year 2010.These are homes where noise levels of 65 dB or more have been recorded. The Government intends to prepare a noise strategy for this purpose in 2002. As levels of noise from railways dropped significantly during the 1990s, the focus of this particular initiative will be road traffic noise.The strategy will be coordinated to reflect the scheduled EU noise directive.

Mobility and traffic flow. The Government has approved a number of long-term investments aimed at a future expansion of the road network and public transport systems. The plan is to boost the quality of public transport by investing in new high-quality trains nationwide and in the Metro and Circle Line in Copenhagen, an extended 'S' train service to Roskilde and urban railways in Aarhus and Aalborg.The road traffic investments are earmarked for motorways and expressways with a view to creating a viable network of main roads which provide maximum road safety at minimum inconvenience to the population.The safety of cyclists and other initiatives to promote the environment and road safety will be improved through funds set aside in a special pool of available funds under the Ministry of Transport. Spatial planning initiatives will improve the traffic flow for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport while also reducing the actual need to travel. This will be accomplished through, for example, active localisation policies, a wider scope for combining different modes of transport and more concentrated facilities in urban areas. In spring 2000, the Government and the regional authorities in the Copenhagen metropolitan area published "A framework for traffic and environmental planning in Greater Copenhagen" (Grundlag for trafik og miljøplan for Hovedstadsområdet), which assessed the traffic and environmental impacts of various proposals to develop Copenhagen's transport system.To ensure that the wisest decisions are made, the Government will continue to rely on environmental impact assessments when considering relevant Bills and other Government proposals, including proposals for new infrastructures.

Nature and landscape. The impact of transport on biodiversity and natural and cultural environments must be controlled. Public planning initiatives must essentially respect all protected areas and listed buildings and consider natural values. Such initiatives should also preserve the character of large unspoilt landscapes, ensuring that they remain free of noise nuisances and fragmentation. It is important to safeguard wildlife, ensuring that animals can pass traffic systems, especially at stream valleys and dispersion corridors. In accordance with the Government's comments on the revised regional plans for 2001 (Regionplanrevision 2001), counties are expected to identify in their regional plans the relatively few remaining large, unspoilt landscapes and prevent their disappearance.

Waste. According to an EU directive, the recycling percentage for materials from scrap passenger cars and vans must be increased to 85% by the year 2015.To achieve this percentage, the Government will require that end-of-life vehicles be processed so that their parts can be recycled.

Correct pricing. Direct and indirect taxes must ensure that the prices of travel, means of transport and fuels better reflect the total cost to society, including infrastructure, environmental and health costs.This will promote more equal competition between the different modes of transport. A working committee has recently presented a report on the possibilities of a "green" restructuring of the vehicle registration tax.The Government will take the report into account in its further deliberations in this area.The Government will also investigate whether the taxation of passenger cars can be restructured so as to make it cheaper to buy a car but more expensive to use it in areas where the environment is under greatest pressure.Tax restructuring should not alter the overall cost of car ownership and should give special consideration to the needs of rural districts. In the course of the next three years, the Government will propose a decision making basis for introducing road pricing aimed particularly at reducing car traffic in Denmark's major cities, technically structured so that the transport habits of individual car drivers are not registered.

Better transport choices and habits. The supply of and demand for environment-friendly transport options must be improved. For passenger traffic, this means promoting public transport where an adequate basis exists. Likewise, cycling and walking must be promoted as attractive alternatives to driving.This can be done through park-andride facilities, car-pooling databases to encourage more people to travel together, transport strategies for safety and the environment in state enterprises, and better conditions for cyclists and pedestrians. The Government also plans to hold a Green Transport Week in 2001 to encourage better transport habits. In freight transport, the emphasis will be on eliminating barrier effects and providing facilities for combined transport solutions involving more extensive use of rail and sea transport. Better dialogue between central government authorities and trade associations will also promote better logistics and environmental management. Other measures to promote environment-friendly transport choices and habits include education, information, public debate, agreements, green procurement policies and taxes.

Research. The Government will intensify research into the central aspects of developments in transport and the measures that can steer transport options in the direction of sustainable development. Examples of activity areas are intensified research into means of transport choices, an assessment of extensions to the transport system, transporteconomy analyses and integrated analyses of economy, environmental concerns and road safety. Another activity area is research into soot particles and underfocused environmental impacts such as soil and water contamination. The potential for and barriers to more widespread use of more environment friendly transport technology will be examined with a view to stepping up efforts.The research effort will provide the basis for new initiatives and objectives in the transport area.

International activities. At its meeting in Cardiff in 1998, the European Council decided to integrate environmental issues into all other sector policies. Consequently, at the 1999 Helsinki Council meeting the EU transport ministers presented a strategy for incorporating environmental issues into transport policy.The Government will follow up on the strategy proposed by the EU Transport Council and on the transport-related sections of the EU's future strategy for sustainable development and the OECD's recent environmental strategy. For instance, the Government will take steps to ensure that all modes of transport pay the social costs and to promote public transport as well as freight transport by rail, on waterways and through combined transport solutions. More specifically, Denmark is working for intensified and fair competition in the railway area throughout the EU, for an international or EU tax on aviation fuel and for the promotion of high international environmental standards for vehicles and engine fuel.

Since the development and production of new vehicle technologies largely take place outside Denmark, the Government wishes to conclude agreements through the EU on standards for new vehicles and fuel types.This approach has been successful to date, and the Government intends to continue its efforts to promote EU regulations that, while flexible, are also binding to an extent that provides both incentives and opportunities for manufacturers and buyers to make environmentfriendly choices. For one thing, Denmark intends to work for better common EU methods for calculating and documenting the environmental impact of vehicles and transport infrastructures.

Denmark intends to campaign actively in international forums other than the EU.The UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) is a relevant forum for road transport issues, while the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) are relevant for discussions concerning aviation and maritime issues.The World Health Organization (WHO) focuses on the direct and indirect effects of transport on health, while general issues relating to sustainable development are discussed as part of the UN's follow-up to the 1992 Rio Conference. Believing that agreements reached in these and other international forums dealing with matters of international sustainable development should be more concrete, Denmark is focusing its efforts to secure more binding agreements.

Over the next few years, the Government will take steps to implement this strategy.The OECD's guidelines for environmentally sustainable transport will be taken into account in the implementation process. The emphasis will be on the continued integration of environmental considerations into the transport sector while taking into account new knowledge, on setting goals and assessing measures as well as on the involvement of relevant players.

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