Transport: destination net zero flyer

Transport produces the largest share of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 27% of the total in 2019, and despite technological advances in vehicle efficiency, emissions have fallen by only 3% since 1990, compared to 43% across all sectors.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has set out bold plans to decarbonise the transport system and meet the Government’s ambitious target of ensuring the UK achieves net zero carbon emissions across the board by 2050.

Despite bold ambitions and targets, it is difficult to address the scale and complexity of the requirements in a strategy without further information and data. In order to meet the net zero targets for transport, more research is required to ensure that we are addressing the whole life cycle carbon impact of both the vehicles and infrastructure that supports them.

Research – fundamental, applied and interdisciplinary – will be vital to the success of this mission. To inform this agenda, in partnership with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), we held a joint workshop where experts discussed the pivotal research and development challenges on emerging zero-emission transport technologies.

This flyer provides a high-level overview of the challenges of delivering net zero emissions by 2050, focusing on the need to replace, remove and reduce. It also highlights the role of research and innovation to deliver transformations required to discover, develop and deploy solutions.

A more detailed report is currently being developed and will be published shortly.

Published date: Mon 20 Jun 2022