T&E

NEW: Recycling battery metals could supply up to a quarter of Europe’s electric cars by 2030, cutting its reliance on battery mineral imports. Materials from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap have the potential to build up to 2.4 million EVs locally in 2030, according to a new T&E study. But the EU and the UK will not be able to harness this potential unless they secure recycling projects at risk of being cancelled due to high energy costs, a shortage of technical experience or a lack of finance. It’s time to start treating battery recycling like another clean tech and prioritise it in policy and grant making. The EU’s upcoming proposal for a Circular Economy Act should support the scaling of local recycling factories while also restricting exports of battery waste. Read our new report at the link in our comments.

Is the leasing industry really the driver for electromobility in Europe? Think twice! Earlier this week the European leasing association Leaseurope joined forces with the European fuels lobby including FuelsEurope (with notorious members such as ExxonMobil and Eni). Most of these so-called renewable fuels organisations are little more than cover ups to keep drilling oil. In their letter to the European Commission they i) reject any binding EU electrification targets for corporate cars and ii) if any, that “renewable” fuels should be included in the legislation. Is promoting fantasy fuels for cars really the position of the whole leasing industry? I wonder if companies such as Ayvens CA Auto Bank or leasing branches of carmakers Volkswagen Financial Services Leasys Mobilize Financial Services really agree with the position of their European association … . The good news? When a sector fights so fiercely against climate legislation, it’s only a bigger sign and argument for lawmakers to take action. That’s why it’s a good thing that the European Commission has now announced a greening corporate fleets law. As a next step, they should commit to a regulation to be proposed by the end of 2025.  Regulation isn’t the enemy of business as LeaseEurope wants us all to believe. Instead it provides the certainty that business and industry desperately needs to compete in the economy of the future. LeaseEurope seem to be unaware of the massive leaps forward in countries like the UK and Belgium, where the right laws and incentives have seen the corporate market electrifying rapidly and is doing perfectly fine. It’s time to move on from outdated views on EVs and embrace the future. Fleet Europe

How can teams competing in the Women’s Euro 2025 tournament be leaders in sustainable travel this year? Travel Smart Campaign looks back at the Euro 2024 for inspiration 👇

NEW: Fraudulent used cooking oil (UCO) is undermining Europe’s biofuels policy and green energy targets. UCO makes up over a third of EU biofuel consumption. With the vast majority of this being imported, fraud concerns are higher than ever. Certification schemes like ISCC claim full traceability via audits, but they rarely verify the actual sources of the popular feedstock, making the supply chain ripe for fraud. UCO sources, such as restaurants, are only audited if they supply over 5 tonnes of UCO per month - the equivalent of 18 McDonald’s restaurants - an impossible figure. For anything less than that, a self-declaration stating compliance is all that is needed. In the three major UCO-exporting countries (China, Malaysia, Indonesia), T&E found 91% of ISCC-certified UCO collectors were certified without having any UCO sources audited. The EU must stop relying on inadequate certification schemes and recognise the limited role they can play in authenticating biofuel imports. Learn more about how fraudulent used cooking oil is making its way into European green fuels at the link in the comments.

NEW: The car industry will not pay €15 billion in penalties in 2025. The debate on one of the EU’s most important climate regulations is being distorted by bogus claims about high fines. Read the briefing 👇

Affordability will be key to maximise rail travel in Europe, but some of the biggest operators in Europe have high prices which don’t result in better service. ÖBB and Trenitalia offer some of the best price-to-quality ratios in Europe, while Eurostar charges high fares but deliver subpar services. There is growing consensus about the necessity of improving rail services in Europe. It’s now up to operators, Member States and the European Commission to improve reliability, affordability and booking experience. See the full ranking ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e3PVDPzP

The small amounts of SAF purchased by airlines will not compensate for the sector’s emissions growth projected in the coming decades. In 2023, SAF accounted for less than 0.2% of the total jet fuel consumed globally. This share should grow over the next decade as green fuels laws in the EU and UK kick in. But until a European industrial strategy for e-kerosene is developed, the supply of SAF will not be adequate for airlines to meet their net-zero goals. Explore our SAF Observatory to see which airlines are leading the way ➡️ https://lnkd.in/e7AQyJUZ

We want European carmakers to succeed, but delaying climate rules won’t cut it. That's the message of representatives from the e-mobility industry and the environmental movement. AVERE - The European Association for Electromobility, ChargeUp Europe and T&E are united on the hard truths that the EU must confront to compete globally: ⌛Slowing down will only allow the EU's competitors to extend their lead, be it in batteries, software or supply chains integration; ⚠️Much of today’s “crisis” is of Europe's own making: carmakers delayed electrification, and Germany abruptly withdrew purchase incentives; 🚗The uncertainty in Europe’s electric car market has serious consequences for the wider EV ecosystem – putting new jobs at risk. We urgently need to reinject certainty into the European market, starting with a confirmation of the 2025-2035 CO2 targets. But two more shifts are also required. First, more affordable EVs will hit the market next year - in time for carmakers to meet their 2025 EU target. Any relaxation of the target would lessen the incentive for carmakers to sell these. Second, the automotive industrial package recently announced by the EU Commission must give European companies a much stronger platform to compete against China. We all know the 2035 future we want for Europe. The road to achieving it should be equally clear: maintaining the car CO2 targets, more affordable vehicles, and an impactful automotive industrial plan that gets our full ecosystem back in the global race. Read the op-ed by secretary general of AVERE, Chris Heron, secretary general of ChargeUp Europe, Lucie Mattera, and senior director for vehicles and e-mobility supply chains at T&E, Julia Poliscanova ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eR8-9bMx Kurt Vandenberghe Arthur Corbin Beatriz Yordi Peter Van Kemseke

NEW: A ranking of European rail operators shows that many are not offering a service worth the high ticket prices. In a first-of-its-kind ranking, T&E evaluates 27 rail operators across eight criteria including 💶price 🕝reliability ☕onboard amenities Trenitalia, SBB, and RegioJet get the best grades. Trenitalia stands out for its travel experience, SBB is the most punctual operator in Europe and RegioJet has some of the most affordable tickets. In contrast, Eurostar’s low ranking reflects its steep prices and poor reliability score. High ticket prices are driving passengers away from trains. To unlock rail’s full potential, rail operators need to set customer-friendly fares, while Member States and the European Commission should ensure fair competition and lower rail tolls. See the full results of the ranking at the link in our comments.

🎉 Great news! Aotearoa New Zealand's Climate Change Commission has advised the government to include international aviation and shipping emissions in its revised 2050 climate target.   The Commission has said the Government should account for its fair share of emissions from international aviation and shipping and commit to decarbonising these high polluting sectors by 2050.    This is a great example of ambitious and concrete action under the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement. Only a small number of countries currently account for international, as opposed to domestic, aviation and shipping emissions, despite these sectors being responsible for almost 5% of global emissions collectively. It is crucial countries addressing this oversight and taking strides domestically to account for and reduce these emissions so that global efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C can be achieved.   In our joint response to the Commission's consultation with T&E, we laid out the legal obligations, and the global context and technologies for decarbonisation of these sectors which we're happy to see the commission acknowledge in their advice. Read our submission here: ⚓ https://lnkd.in/eAisGY7z ⚓ And read the Commission's advise here: 📃 https://lnkd.in/ePTVgzFH 📃 #InternationalShipping #InternationalAviation #ClimateChange #ClimateTargets