Individual Actions to Improve Transport Energy Efficiency

02/08/2007

In 2002 Europe consumed approximately 15% of the world's energy making it one of the largest energyconsuming regions of the world. Between 2000 and 2030 the energy consumption of the European Union is predicted to increase by 17%.

Within the EU economy the share of energy consumed by the transportation sector increased from 22% in 1980 to 30% in 2000. By 2030 this sector is forecast to be responsible for 33% of total European energy consumption even if the price of road fuels is predicted to continue to increase. In this regard a Dutch researcher has observed the individual actions and intentions to improve the energy efficiency of transport in Europe.

To this end he used data from three Special Eurobarometer Surveys1 performed in 1984 1993 and 2002 which included questions on the reduction of energy use in transport. Despite the fact that these three surveys do not cover the same number of countries (due to the enlargement of the EU in 1986 and 1994) the author reports that they are comparable in many ways.

A comparison of these three surveys reveals that the share of respondents reporting that they have cut down on the use of car fuel decreased in many countries from 1984 to 2002. In 2002 this reduction was around 22%. In 2002 interviewees were also asked what else they had done to increase their energy efficiency in the transportation sector. In addition to the 22% of people reporting that they had cut down on the use of car fuel 18% of the respondents claimed to have used public transport more often 17% to have purchased a more efficient car and 9% to have reduced travel. In 2002 the persons surveyed were again asked what they intended to do to reduce energy use in transport. 12% stated that they intended to cut down on car fuel use which is much lower than the intention expressed in 1984 and 1993. In addition in 2002 12% stated that they intended to use public transport more 18% to buy a more energy-efficient vehicle and 6% to reduce their individual travel in order to reduce energy use in transport.

Overall the 2002 survey reveals that 21% of the respondents have taken action regarding transport energy efficiency and intend to do more 24% have taken action but do not intend to do more. In addition 14% of the surveyed persons have not taken any action but intend to act to improve transport energy efficiency and 40% are disinterested (no action and no intention). The author compared this pattern with the one observed for energy efficiency in the home. He observed that regarding energy efficiency in the home there are much fewer disinterested people (20%) and many more people who have acted but are not planning future actions (47%) in comparison to the transport efficiency sector.

The researcher further notes that actions and intentions are always higher within the respondents that are most likely to have a car (people with a high level of education and male individuals for example). In addition he highlights that the behaviour of respondents varies across the Member States.

Overall the authors suggest that these results could be a great help and an important starting point for addressing transport energy efficiency in future policies and programmes. In particular the fact that few people have decreased or intend to decrease their individual travel may imply that the general public is still to be convinced that there is a need to take action.