EU & Sector Initiatives

European Climate Pact

CER is one of the first Ambassadors of the European Climate Pact. Currently 716 Ambassadors are driving change in their communities. CER is also the only transport association in Brussels with a Climate Pact pledge.

What is the European Climate Pact?

The European Climate Pact is a movement of people united around a common cause, each taking steps in their own worlds to build a more sustainable Europe. Launched by the European Commission, the Pact is part of the European Green Deal and is helping the EU to meet its goal to become climate-neutral by 2050.

Everyone has a place in the Pact. You can get involved whether you are just starting out on your climate action journey or already working to make a difference in your world. You can take part as an individual or as an organisation – for example, a city, a community or an association.

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CER’s Climate Pact Ambassador
AlbertoMazzola
Alberto Mazzola, CER Executive Director

"As Executive Director of the leading European railway association in Brussels, I will advocate rail as the backbone of zero-carbon mobility in Europe. In order to achieve an absolute greenhouse gas emission reduction target of 30% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, and at the same time realise expected modal shift to rail, we will contribute to a wider debate on climate action. Railways took the opportunity provided by the European Year of Rail in 2021 to act as a Clean Mobility Ambassador."

 

CER’s Climate Pact Pledge

The European railway sector, represented by CER and UIC, pursues the goal of carbon-free rail operations by 2050. The sector has targets on sustainable mobility to reduce both energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from railway operations.

   Targets     
objective
  
objective
Energy efficiency 

Railways have a target to improve energy efficiency
  • By 2030, the European railways will reduce their specific final energy consumption from train operation by 30% compared to the base year 1990 measured per passenger-km (passenger service) and gross tonne-km (freight service).
  • The European railways will strive towards halving their specific final energy consumption from train operation by 2050 compared to the base year 1990; measured per passenger-km (passenger service) and gross tonne-km (freight service).

 

objective
Carbon Emissions (or CO2e)

Railways have an absolute/intensity emissions reduction target (scope 1+2) with a 5-15 years’ time frame and a 2.1% year-on-year reduction at a minimum
  • By 2030 the European railways will reduce their specific average CO2e emissions from train operation by 50% compared to base year 2005 measured per passenger-km (passenger service) and gross tonne-km (freight service). 
  • By 2030, the European railways will reduce their total CO2e emissions from train operation by 30% in absolute terms compared to base year 2005.
  • The European railways will strive towards carbon-free train operation by 2050 and provide society with a climate neutral transport alternative.
   Methodology     
objective
  

The railway sector established Environmental Strategy Reporting System (ESRS) as a comprehensive instrument which allows the overall procedure of construction of indicators, data collection, analysis, reporting and data sharing to be regulated in a clear and transparent structure.

The ESRS complies with a specific methodology as a guideline to collect, account and report the environmental Key Performance Indicators (KPI) of UIC/CER railway members. The database takes into account figures regarding both passenger and freight service, and has been used to show the picture of full energy/CO2 performance data from the year 2005.

Data collection is performed annually and stored in dedicated portal: www.co2-data.org.

    Progress   
objective
  

ClimatePledge TargetProgress EnergyConsumption

ClimatePledge TargetProgress Specific CO2eq

ClimatePledge TargetProgress Total CO2eq

View our pledge on the European Climate Pact website.