Rail transport and the environment: meeting the challenge

Placing environmental criteria at the forefront of transport policy has never been more important than it is today, with cutting emissions of greenhouse gases becoming one of the biggest political issues in Europe. Yet transport is proving the most intractable area to change, with emissions continuing to rise relentlessly.

As the most efficient mode of major transport, rail has a key role to play in reducing the impact of transport and ensuring a more sustainable future. With this in mind, CER has put together the book 'Rail transport and the environment: meeting the challenge’ that puts the railways’ environmental strengths into context, using contributions from over a dozen experts in the transport field.

The first part of the book gives an overview of the different aspects of the rail sector’s environmental performance and how it compares to other modes of transport. It looks at the current problems facing transport, the changes that are currently taking place within the rail system, and how specific issues such as local air pollution and noise are being addressed.

The second part examines how policy measures can support the railways’ role in a sustainable transport system. It considers how taxes and subsidies can be used to greater effect to encourage changes in travel, whether the external costs of transport can be properly internalised, and looks at examples from Switzerland and Sweden of how policies are being put into practice.