Road traffic: volume trends and environmental pressure, 1990-2017

Carbon dioxide emissions

Between 1990 and 2008, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from road traffic increased more or less in proportion to the number of vehicle kilometres. Between 2008 and 2014 the emission decreased by 16%, which is among other things due to the fiscal benefits of purchasing fuel efficient cars. Between 2014 and 2017 the emissions have increased by 4.5% due to the increase of traffic.

Nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions

Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) and particulate matter from road traffic decreased year on year after 1990, despite the fact that the number of vehicle kilometres increased by 42% between 1990 and 2017. In the case of NO_x, this can be mainly attributed to the introduction of the three-way catalytic converter in cars and vans at the end of the 1980s in response to emission standards. The reduction in particulate matter (PM₁₀) emissions was mainly due to improvements made in engines. A further reduction, in particular after 2005, was achieved by the use of diesel particulate filters. Almost every new diesel vehicle was supplied with an in-built diesel particulate filter after 2011, and existing vehicles were also equipped with diesel particulate filters (retrofit). Over 80 thousand cars and vans and almost 27 thousand heavy duty vehicles had been fitted with a retrofit filter. In 2017 30 thousand and 7 thousand respectively were still active.

Policy objectives

The general policy objective is to achieve a decrease in emissions across the economy in addition to growth in gross domestic product (GDP).