Decoding the transport policy maze towards climate neutrality: Cross-sectoral policy landscapes

Making transport sustainable is one of the grand global challenges. Numerous policies are currently underway, particularly in the European Union, to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions substantially. Germany has set ambitious targets, aiming for a 65% reduction in emissions by 2030 and becoming climate neutral by 2045. Unlike other sectors, Germany and the European Union have struggled to reduce emissions in the transport sector. Thus, the effectiveness of the current policy framework has been questioned. This study presents the outcomes of a comprehensive policy review across multiple sectors with direct or indirect implications for the sustainable transition in the transport sector. For this purpose, 44 policies were identified in the fields of transport, energy, agriculture, bioeconomy, and climate change. A mixed method content analysis approach was used to scrutinize policy documents, examining targets, fuel alternatives, transport modes, and coherence among policies. The findings underscore Germany’s commitment to meet the climate targets through different pathways regulated by national and European policies. Electrification has been the predominant pathway for the decarbonization of the transport sector, followed by renewable fuels, e.g., Power-to-X fuels. Although well-designed plans exist for the electrification of road passenger transport, findings indicate low policy support for renewable fuels, especially for parts of the transport sector not well-suited for electrification, e.g., aviation and maritime.