The transport sectors are facing the dual carbon constraint. To overcome it, they must plan their exit from fossil fuels, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and adapt in order to lessen their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The PTFE puts forward pragmatic proposals, paving the way for a realistic and coherent path to decarbonisation through long-term transformation. It does not rely on the uncertain bet of continued economic growth, nor on hypothetical technological breakthroughs that have yet to be proven. To remain consistent with the laws of physics and engineering, the PTFE takes into account the interconnections between sectors—particularly regarding physical resources and skills—with employment placed at the heart of the approach.
32 %
10 000 km
6,3 long distance trips
67 kg
Decarbonising daily travel requires a “systems” approach, where the combined actions below provide the maximum alternatives to solo car use. These actions must be adapted and adjusted according to the territories concerned (dense or less dense, coastal, rural, mountainous, city center, etc.).
The transition towards low-carbon mobility requires a reduction in travel distances, which have increased dramatically over the past decades. Land-use planning and regulatory and fiscal measures related to land and urban development are too often addressed separately from mobility. The Shift Project has sought to highlight the importance of adopting a systemic approach, tackling issues of land-use planning and the creation of proximity in daily life.
Significantly expanding pedestrian pathways and cycling routes, including in peri-urban areas, to make the use of these modes of transport safer. Cycling policy must aim at establishing a genuine “cycling system,” with the creation of secure parking spaces (particularly for electric bikes), early-age training in cycling, and the development of numerous services around cycling: sales outlets, rental, maintenance, repair, insurance, etc.
The “structuring” public transport network (metro, tram, bus rapid transit, express coach, regional trains) must serve the densest areas and provide high-quality, frequent service. In less dense areas, standard buses, minibuses, or on-demand transport are more appropriate. It is essential to ensure excellent access to structuring public transport through interchange hubs where all modes are available: buses, cars (with priority given to carpooling and car-sharing), bike and pedestrian access.
Encouraging the use of alternatives to cars requires revising the current regulatory and fiscal system, which still incentivizes the ownership and use of heavy, powerful vehicles—for example, through mileage allowances and tax exemptions for company cars. It also requires developing alternative transport options, including for individual vehicles, to steer towards lighter, low-carbon vehicles, particularly “Vélis,” individual vehicles under 600 kg positioned between bicycles and cars (electric-assisted and cargo bikes, light quadricycles, microcars…), replacing heavier and more powerful personal cars.
Long-distance mobility refers to journeys of more than 100 km. The main purposes of such trips are visiting relatives, holidays, leisure, and also work.
Air travel can be reduced by transforming the imagination of travel and by using demand-management tools (taxation, quotas).
At the same time, it is necessary to develop attractive alternatives, particularly to very long-distance trips.
This includes new train travel offers at the European scale or on other continents (Trans-Siberian-type offers, itineraries enabling immersive stays).
In France, the priority is to develop innovative tourism offers and car-free stays. Cycling tourism must continue to expand, and rail accessibility of the territory improved. Finally, to avoid mass Saturday departures, accommodation offers shifted within the week could be promoted.
To reduce the footprint of business travel, companies must favor videoconferencing whenever possible, and trains instead of planes or cars for the remaining cases. In addition, the shift of car fleets towards more efficient and electric vehicles, including electric-assisted bicycles, should be encouraged. Learn more
The use of airplanes and cars will decrease significantly (by about one third each). But this alone is not enough. Cars that are still in use must become more efficient and electric, and their use must evolve: lower highway speeds, eco-driving training, rental, carpooling. On the aviation side, transformation relies on optimizing usage (denser cabin layouts) and turning to low-carbon fuels.
Meanwhile, the rail offer is becoming more attractive. At a large scale, with trains serving Europe and providing cross-country links and service to medium-sized cities. At a smaller scale, with more low-cost options, direct routes, and local lines. Rail services will improve with better intermodality at stations and new infrastructure. Ticket prices are kept in check thanks to reduced VAT and social fares.
Freight transport accounts for 9% of territorial emissions. In 2023, the functioning of our society required an average of 67 kg of goods per person per day. Freight is carried 89% by road, with one in three trucks transporting food (agri-food raw materials or finished/processed products).
For intra- and interregional freight, rail and river transport are more energy-efficient modes. Their infrastructures must be upgraded, and intermodal possibilities developed to scale up modal shifts. In parallel, road transport could be increasingly constrained as rail and river options expand.
For urban freight, cycle logistics is far more efficient than van transport. It becomes a priority through various incentive mechanisms and is facilitated by the optimization of vehicle fleets within a network of urban consolidation centers.
Currently, one fifth of “vehicle-kilometers” are traveled empty due to technical and operational reasons. To address this, freight flows and routes must be further pooled, and loads optimized. This involves slowing shipment schedules and encouraging higher load factors.
In addition, for urban freight, metropolitan areas must be encouraged to allocate land for services organized as networks of urban consolidation centers. Each center would operate a fleet of electric vehicles—primarily cycles, supplemented by heavier vehicles if necessary—and would enable the pooling of flows to be transported within its urban area.
Seeking efficiency gains opens the way for vehicle electrification. This requires expanding vehicle emission standards, encouraging shippers and carriers to adopt more efficient vehicles, and lowering truck speeds to 80 km/h on highways.
Vehicle electrification then proceeds in three stages. In the short term, biofuels will likely be required, followed by gradually increased electrification of the fleet with both static and dynamic charging solutions, along with limitations on battery size.
In the Plan de transformation de l’économie française (PTEF), demand for freight transport decreases as different sectors of the economy are transformed. While preserving the essential uses and freedoms of the French population, sectors such as agriculture and food are reorganized regionally. Others become more sustainable (longer lifespan of IT equipment) or less consumed (automobiles). Combined, these changes lead to a projected 25% reduction in freight demand by 2050, which must be anticipated by both shippers and carriers.
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Fresques & <em>Ateliers</em>
De nombreux ateliers d’intelligence collective et “fresques” traitent de la décarbonation des transports, allant de la sensibilisation à l’embarquement des collaborateurs et des organisations. Le Shift Project n’est pas à l’origine de ces initiatives, mais la plupart d’entre elles se basent, entre autres, sur nos travaux. Cette liste ne se veut pas exhaustive mais vous donnera sûrement des idées !
