“Combustion engine vehicles will still exist beyond 2040”

When it comes to climate action, countless rules are in place to keep the transport sector on track – such as fleet limit values and carbon pricing. Which tools are most effective? What can Germany do better? And is electromobility the uncontested drive energy of the future? We discussed these questions with Falk Heinen, Head of the Technical Transport Issues and Fuels Division at the German Environment Ministry.

Falk Heinen, in your view, has a reversal of the trend as regards climate action in the transport sector finally been reached?

It is gratifying that after many years of stagnation, the forecasts finally offer us some hope of a reduction in emissions. This shows that fleet limit values for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are an effective tool. However, they are now due to be reviewed and updated. Changes to the fleet limit values could undoubtedly weaken the ramp-up of e-mobility and thus dampen down the positive impacts on climate change mitigation. There is massive pressure from market players to soften the rules here; indeed, their efforts have already been successful.

What happened, exactly?

The CO2 emission reduction targets set for 2025 were extended by three years to 2027. Naturally, this slows the pace of the transition. In fact, the manufacturers had enough time to prepare and many of them are already well on track to reach the targets. And of course, it’s unfair on them if companies that didn’t set the right course in time are now being rewarded.

Besides that, which instruments are effective?

The greenhouse gas reduction quota obliges all companies that sell fuels to cut these fuels’ emissions through the use of renewable energies. As a legal requirement for the oil industry, the quota is already making a very significant contribution to emission reductions and will lead to further substantial cuts in the coming years. Our concept for implementing the Renewable Energy Directive in the transport sector envisages reductions ranging from 26 megatonnes in 2026 to 65 megatonnes in 2040. Regrettably, there have been cases of fraud, including falsified claims, in connection with biofuels in recent years, one outcome being that climate-damaging palm oil found its way to the petrol pumps. Extreme vigilance will therefore be required here.

What could Germany do better?

Quite a lot – with regard to transport planning or infrastructure, for example. In future, far more extensive parking and charging facilities for e-trucks will be needed along the motorways. On the issue of noise, too, there is still a lot of work to do; motorcycles are one example that springs to mind. Fundamentally, however, with the European rules, we have a very good framework that offers scope for effective climate action in the transport sector, provided that this framework remains in place and all countries comply.

What do you see as the greatest challenges in the transport sector?

In my view, it’s important to look at transport through a global lens – and there are multiple challenges here. For example, in many booming countries, the number of combustion engine vehicles is increasingly dramatically. And not much has happened in aviation so far, although work on this sector has been ongoing for years. This particularly applies to the effects of greenhouse gases other than the climate gas carbon dioxide, which are extremely harmful to the climate, particularly as regards changes in natural cloud formation. There is no alternative to low-carbon fuels and mandatory quotas here – with corresponding risks such as land use effects in the case of cultivated biomass. But it makes no sense for one country to go it alone here: global agreements are required.

Is electromobility the uncontested drive energy of the future?

I would say so, yes. We simply have to cast a glance at Asia or America, where it is already very successful. The efficiency of the electric motor will ensure that it prevails. At the same time, a large residual share of combustion engine vehicles will still exist for some time. However, to ensure that Germany’s transport sector is truly climate-neutral in 2045, these vehicles must be powered exclusively by climate-friendly fuels that are genuinely sustainable and protect the environment.

Thank you for talking to eco@work.
The interviewer was Christiane Weihe.

Talking to eco@work: Falk Heinen, Head of the Technical Transport Issues and Fuels Division at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.