Mobility

1.) Why mobility?

The transport sector accounts for slightly more than 20% of global CO2-emissions (1). For Germany, this means that transport, aviation and shipping have caused 173 million tons CO2 in 2023 (2), also about a fifth of overall emissions. This sector is extremely important for current climate policies, if we want to limit the extent to which we exceed the safe boundaries of global warming. Changes in mobility have immediate and potentially drastic effects on greenhouse gas emissions because the modes of transport and kinds of engines hugely impact the amount of emissions per person/km:

The amount of CO2 per flying passenger is five to ten times higher than by train, depending on occupancy and is even higher if electricity used comes from 100% renewable sources (3). In addition to this, airplanes cause other climate harming emissions and they release them in the upper troposphere (8-10km) where they cause much more intense greenhouse effects. Because of their stricter occupancy policy, long distance bus coaches can even be more efficient than train travel (4). For medium and long distance travel, busses and trains also have less environmental costs than electric cars (4). And let’s not even get started on cruise ships! (5)

In many sectors (electricity, heating, industry) there have been continuous (though still insufficient) successes in emissions reduction, but notably the sector of transport and aviation is largely stagnating. For this reason, public demands and pressure against the influence of fossil lobbyists and outdated industry positions is particularly important.

The question of mobility combines everyday behaviour, public infrastructure and political decision making and shows how the fight against the climate crisis and for a fundamental system change needs the interplay between changing attitudes, changing policies and changing technologies. These changes are actively obstructed by business tycoons and by government policies in many countries. Fossil subsidies are a waste of taxpayer money, that should be used for the common good instead. The German government spends more than 45 billion € every year on diverse kinds of direct and indirect fossil subsidies (for fossil energy, no VAT on international flights, tax privileges for company cars) (6). Comparing these amounts to the annual costs of 1,5 billion € for the Deutschlandticket – 2,5 billion € for the 9€-ticket in 2022 –, which is regularly put into question by right wing press and politicians – the disproportion is obvious and outrageous!