With the September political elections approaching, the electoral campaign and the respective debates are getting more and more alive. Among the many issues touched by politicians also includes that relating to the environment and transport, closely connected to the position that Italy will hold towards the European Union in the field of mobility. In such a context, it is not uncommon to come across arguments from different political forces that make use of the call into question of data that, although factually correct, if decontextualized confuse the voter and are used to support the respective cause. It is therefore advisable to clarify various issues addressed daily on the pages of FormulaPassion.it to facilitate a correct reading in this regard of the coming weeks of debate.
Among the most recurring points regarding the environment and transport is the recent decision of the European Union to ban the sale of petrol and diesel engines starting from 2035. The world of mobility, research and Italian industry has more times stressed the environmental, social and geopolitical risks in implementing the fight against climate change through the exclusive use of battery-powered electric propulsion. The guarantee of technological neutrality has been expressed from many sides, that is, the opening and incentive to search for alternative and complementary technologies to that of electricity, such as hydrogen and sustainable fuels. However, the comparison also extended to the usefulness of intervening to modernize the fleet, often resorting to data to belittle or emphasize the actual picture European environmental.
In detail, carbon dioxide emissions are among those that most contribute to the greenhouse effect and with it to global warming. It was decided to report the figures relating to the sources of greenhouse gases in Europe including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxides and fluorinated. The numbers relate to 2019, particularly representative since it is the last year before the two-year period strongly influenced by the pandemic. The data, openly available on the website ofEuropean Environment Agencyinclude the twenty-seven member countries of the Union, thus excluding the United Kingdom, and report how in Europe in 2019 3,872,047 kilotonnes of CO2 equivalents. The numbers refer to gross values, which exclude the absorption or recapture of carbon dioxide by, for example, reforestation campaigns, the inclusion of which alters the total amount by 6.6%, but does not significantly impact its distribution among the different sources.
In detail, greenhouse gas emissions in Europe in 2019 are divided as follows: 25.11% for the energy sector; 21.56% for domestic transport; 19.94% for industry; 11.45% for residence and trade; 9.86% for agriculture; 3.55% for international shipments; 3.43% for international aviation; 5.1% for the remaining sectors. Going into the merits of road transport only, in 2019 this was responsible for the 20.48% of gross greenhouse gas emissions in the Union. On the other hand, taking into consideration carbon dioxide alone and therefore neglecting methane, nitrogen and fluorinated compounds, road mobility recorded 24.6% of the CO2 equivalent issued in Europe. However, the same figures, if compared to other references, run the risk of conveying a distorted image of the actual painting.
As reported by the International Energy Agency, emissions of carbon dioxide alone across the globe in 2019 amounted to 33.2 gigatonnes. Therefore, comparing the European values to them, it follows that in the same year the emissions to be borne by the European Union were 9.6% of the global ones. Extracting the figures relating to mobility, it appears that European road transport was responsible for 2.34% of the CO footprint2 global in the same year, information which, even if factually correct, is decontextualized if the same data is not related only to the European machine park. However, there are also examples in the opposite direction, with the involvement of figures who emphasize the environmental responsibility of road mobility and / or subtract attention from other equally critical sectors. In fact, including aviation and international shipping, it could be correctly asserted that in 2019 the transport sector emitted 28.5% of European carbon dioxide, therefore close to 30%. In terms of road mobility alone, however, this is a much higher figure than 24.6% already reported above. As already experienced in the past, being able to extricate themselves and contextualize the figures called into question during the political debate will be one of the most difficult undertakings for the voters, to then decide their voting intentions.
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