Challenge for the near future: Instruments for a climate friendly use of road infrastructure

While transport is inevitable in our economy and daily lives, it also engenders many negative effects - on the economy, society, and environment. Though a large share of the external costs associated with climate change is attributable to transport, this is only partly carried by it. The transport sector still lags behind with regard to emitted greenhouse gases and faces difficulties in achieving the emission reduction goals. In line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, an instrument for internalizing the external costs of transport is a road pricing scheme. Not only would it stimulate the use of more environmentally friendly vehicles, this concept could also prove its use in pursuing a level playing field across different transport modes. Implementation of a pricing system should be well thought of, as perverse effects can easily arise. Road pricing will also incentivize the switch to zero-emission vehicles. A pricing scheme should be implemented coherently on a European level to avoid additional kilometres due to detour and related externalities.