'Major revolution' on the way for Europe's transport sector - conference told

Transport systems in Europe are on the verge of a “major revolution,” an international conference was told on Monday (14 November).

The sector will, in the coming years, also be “significantly different” from the one most are accustomed to.

This was the key message from Signe Ratso, of the European Commission, who was speaking on Monday at the opening of a major conference on transport mobility.

Ratso, acting Director General of the Commission’s research and innovation directorate, said the event, which is expected to attract over 2,000 participants over the next four days and whose theme is “re-imaging mobility worldwide”, was timely.

“The ongoing energy crisis and the conflict in Ukraine shows the important urgency to achieve a decarbonised transport system and put an end to our dependency on fossil fuels,” she said at the conference venue.

The Transport Research Arena (TRA) conference is said to be Europe’s largest European research and technology conference on transport and mobility.

The 9th edition takes place in Lisbon, Portugal with the idea being to provide a chance for all stakeholders to discuss latest developments and innovations in the world of transport and mobility.

It has brought together experts from around the world to discuss the newest innovations and future of mobility and transport.

The Commission official, speaking via a video link, said that decarbonisation of transport will transform the way people live and that transport systems are “key drivers” of the EU economy.

The sector, she noted, is responsible for 6.3 percent of the  EU GDP and supports 30m jobs but is confronted with “major disruptive changes.”

Ratso noted that the EU’s aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2050 compared with 1990 levels. The EU, she said, is “serious” about the issue and had recently adopted “concrete laws” to achieve its energy and climate targets.

The acting DG said Lisbon conference was “the ideal place for researchers and policymakers to share and focus on new ideas.”

She said, “TRA will provide a platform to showcase innovative transport projects.”

Some of Europe's brightest young innovators aim to showcase their talents - and products – at the conference. This is timely as 2022 has been designated the European Year of Youth.

The event heard that in Europe, an estimated 70 per cent of all journeys are currently by car but all transport modes, including hydrogen, will come under the spotlight at the event which runs until Thursday.

Companies, research centres, government ministries and the EU are among taking part.

The event is split into different sessions ranging from "smart mobility" to "green mobility and decarbonisation." Monday’s opening session also include an awards ceremony for innovators whose creations are helping to improve transport mobility.

It is the first TRA to be held in person since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis. The last was in 2018.

Pedro Nuno Santos, Portugal’s Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, also gave a keynote speech at the opening of the conference which, he said, comes in a “special year.”

Current trends in the transport sector, he told the packed audience, represent a “significant” challenge to the EU’s aim to cut emissions which includes being “climate neutral” by 2050.

He said it was “not always easy” to agree on how to achieve such goals but that “collective mobility” is the “key solution.”

“The debate,” he went on, “is not just about decarbonisation but about making people’s lives easier and better.

“The only way forward is to make our cities liveable otherwise we will just end up with the same kind of congestion (as today).”

Santos said that, currently, cars “overwhelm” cities in Europe, adding, “this must change.”

An estimated seven out of ten people in Europe live in cities and urban areas and he said, “People in cities need more space to relax and work.”

“There is no such thing as zero car emissions and it is estimated that an electric car takes up to nine years to make up for the emissions that are produced during its production.”

The Minister added, “It is not just about replacing the old and the dirty with the new and the cleaner but about making a better use of resources.”

“It is obvious cars will not disappear and that they will have to shift to alternative sources of energy. The question is how to make this transformation in as environmentally friendly a way as possible.”

He highlighted efforts in his own country towards accelerating progress in this area, such as the refurbishment of old trains.

Santos said: “We have a very ambition investment programme for the next decade.”

This, though, comes on the back of “lacklustre investment for the last decade.”

The aim, he noted, is the electrification of the entire rail network in Portugal in the next decade and to reduce bottlenecks.

The minister added: “It is, however, essential that all transport modes are connected and easy for people to use including, for example, shared cycles. In order to persuade people to leave the car at home people need to know they have viable alternatives.

“Our aim is to revolutionise the way people travel and Portugal is fully committed to the decarbonization of transport.

“We have set very ambitious goals that require massive investment. This will be led by the private sector but in partnership with the public sector.”

The official warned: “There is no single solution that holds the key to all these problems. What matters is that transport systems provide accessibility and can help us fight climate change.”

Looking forward to the conference itself, Santos said: “The next four days is a chance for us to share new ideas but, remember, the ultimate goal is about getting people and goods from Point A to Point B in the most efficient way possible.”

Another keynote speaker at the opening session was Professor Joana Mendonca, president of the Portuguese National Innovation Agency.

She said: “This conference is very exciting not least because 18 months ago we did not think this would be possible due to the pandemic so I thank the European Commission for its support.

“The event provides evidence of what collaboration between different institutions can do.”

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