VISION: Road Transport in Europe 2025 - FEHRL

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Air Pollution
Road transport is a major source of air pollutants and the dominant source in many urban areas. According to
the latest estimates, provided by the World Health Organisation European Office, about 80,000 deaths per year
in Europe can be attributed to long term exposure to road traffic generated air pollution. The health costs of
traffic-related air pollution are very high; they include premature deaths, hospitalisation and loss of
production. However there has been significant progress in reducing air pollution in recent years (see Figure
2.5).
Noise and Nuisance
In Western Europe the population exposed to noise levels above 65 dB (A) increased from 15% in the 1980s to
26% in the early 1990s. It is estimated that some 80 million EU citizens suffer from unacceptable levels of noise
while another 170 million live in "grey areas" where sound is a major nuisance, much of it caused by the
transport sector as a whole. The resulting sleep disturbance, loss of productivity and decreases in property
value cost the EU an estimated EUR 38 billion. Despite progress in reducing noise from individual vehicles, as
traffic volumes increase, noise pollution, particularly from road and air transport, is expected to rise and
become an issue of growing concern.
Energy - Resources
%
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Source: Auto Oil II, IRU
Figure 2.5 Emissions 1990-2015 road transport (EU-15)
In 1998 fossil fuels met 90% of global commercial energy demand. Crude oil accounts for over 98% of transport
fuel consumption.There are a number of new technologies that promise an alternative to fossil fuels but most
are at an early concept stage.
HC
CO
NOx
PM