Accelerating Road Transport Decarbonisation

A complementary approach using sustainable and low carbon fuels

The decarbonising of our transport sector is increasingly urgent and important in the race to address climate change, with about 27% of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions currently coming from this sector. In addition, for the benefit of the population’s health,  there is a need to improve air quality in many of the UK’s towns and cities, where road transport emissions are one of the biggest contributors to localised pollution.

Recommendations

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers recommends:

1. A move to E10 10% bioethanol in petrol pumps and B7 in diesel pumps, to help to rapidly decarbonise the many millions of internal combustion engines already running on conventional fossil fuels as soon as possible.
2. The adoption of a life cycle approach for all Government policy. This takes an holistic view of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoids the unforeseen consequences of backing particular technologies at the expense of exploring essential alternative and complementary approaches.
3. Substantial investment (similar to that provided for battery electric vehicles and charging infrastructure) in sustainable and low-carbon fuel development and associated internal combustion engine technology levelling the playing field across low carbon technologies. This will enable both growth in EVs and further immediate reduction in vehicle CO2 emissions with a managed transition to zero carbon.