Possibilities for Reconversion of Polluting Transports in the Community

Transport accounts for about a fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions. Transport also accounts for about 29% of global energy demand and about 61.5% of annual oil consumption. With a fleet of around 1.5 million vehicles, road transport is the sector’s most significant pollutant and among the largest of all economic sectors. Therefore, urgent action needs to be taken to stop pollution caused mainly by land transport and obviously by motors using hydrocarbons. In this context, the chapter aims to establish a set of measures to support the rapid reconversion of polluting transports. To achieve this objective, the analysis of the impact of energy consumption in transport on the level of greenhouse gas pollution, the possibilities for reducing/replacement of the polluting vehicle fleet, and ways of encouraging clean transport shall be considered. The research is based on statistical analyses, from European and Romanian databases, studies from the analyzed fields, and making forecasts on the possibilities of achieving the proposed EU-wide target of achieving zero pollution levels in 2050. Among the most important conclusions of the work is the need to reduce the demand for mobility, especially for nonessential travel, and the fact that, in the case of Romania, the replacement of the current car fleet with one composed exclusively of electric vehicles is financially unfeasible.