The newest research from the Transport & Environment (T&E) advocacy group, highlighted here, paints a gloomy picture of the European transport sector. While general emissions are dropping, the emissions from the transportation sector have increased by more than a quarter since 1990. The positive side of the story however is that transport emissions peaked in 2007, the negative side is that transportation has decarbonised at a rate more than three times slower than the whole economy. Following this, without any action taken, transport will be responsible for 45% of Europe's gas emissions by 2030.

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"In 2030, nearly half of the continent’s emissions will come from mobility, making it the problem child of Europe’s climate efforts. Decarbonising the sector as quickly as possible is now vital if the continent is to reach zero emissions by 2050," emphasises William Todts, executive director of T&E.

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The main sources of transport emissions in the EU, as the research suggests, are cars that run on petrol and diesel, which constitute more than 40% of the transport emissions. In general, road transport, comprising cars and trucks, is responsible for 70% of all emissions from transportation. Shipping companies have no motivation to enhance efficiency because nothing is forcing them to do so. Therefore, the delivery sector, including last-mile delivery, has big gaps for improvement to be filled by innovative companies committed to sustainable and efficient practices. It is worrying that European shipping is supposed to reach one-third of total transport emissions unless the current policies change, so action needs to be taken.

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The report points out the possible solutions for the future among which it is important to introduce green fuels to aviation and shipping, invest in the infrastructure and convert vehicles into electric ones to achieve substantial emissions reduction. As Todts mentions, “Cars, trucks, and vans can be cheaply electrified with batteries and renewables. This is now some of the lowest-hanging fruit in climate action.”

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The fact that transport could account for almost half of Europe's emissions by 2030 is alarming. William Todts from T&E draws attention to the urgency of decarbonizing the transport sector to reach zero emissions by 2050. At Sparqle, our dedication to transforming last-mile deliveries into a sustainable and efficiency-driven model is only a small part of this complicated puzzle. We are actively working to make our cities cleaner by implementing e-cargo bikes and electric vehicles, route optimization for minimal emissions, and providing verifiable carbon footprint reports. However, we acknowledge that our efforts, although substantial, are only a part of the overall solution which requires a systemic change.

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The road towards a sustainable future is a joint effort of all the stakeholders, governments promoting electric vehicles, and businesses adopting zero-emission logistics. The scale of the challenge is huge, but we are determined to contribute especially when platforms like ours show that emissions can be significantly cut. This is about clean technology and fostering collaboration with local logistic partners on the foundation of trust, mutual progress and sustainability. Only by encouraging a collaborative environment, we can scale our impact and drive more positive change in logistics and last-mile delivery.

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We must work together to build a zero-emission future. Sparqle calls on industry, policymakers, and the public to join this effort. The question is not if we can afford to change but if we can afford not to. Let’s join forces and work together to make deliveries emission-free. Contact us below to join the effort. 

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