Dr. Moses Amweelo
Transport is responsible for almost a quarter of carbon dioxide (CO2) global emissions. Transport has the highest reliance on fossil fuels of any sector, and accounted for 37% of CO2 emissions from end-use sectors in 2021. While it was one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic,
emissions resumed, rising as demands increased and the uptake of alternative fuels remains limited. That growth is most notable in developing and emerging economies. Getting transportation on track with the International Energy Agency’s and Net Zero scenario requires implementing a broad set of policies, to encourage modal shifts to the least carbon-intensive travel options, and operational and technical energy efficiency measures to reduce the carbon intensity of all transport modes.
Electric car sales saw another record year in 2022, despite supply chain disruptions, macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, and high commodity and energy prices.
In the course of just five years, from 2017 to 2022, electric vehicle sales jumped from around one million to more than 10 million, underscoring the exponential nature of electric vehicle sales’ growth.
The share of electric cars in total car sales jumped from 9% in 2021 to 14% in 2022, more than 10 times their share in 2017.
Increasing sales pushed the total number of electric cars on the world’s roads to 26 million, up 60% relative to 2021, with battery electric vehicles accounting for over 70% of total annual growth, as in previous years.
The increase in sales from 2021 to 2022 was just as high as from 2020 to 2021 in absolute terms – up 3.5 million – but relative growth was lower (sales doubled from 2020 to 2021).
The annual growth rate for electric car sales in 2022 was similar to the average rate over 2015-2018, and the annual growth rate for the global stock of electric cars in 2022 was similar to that of 2021 and over the 2015-2018 period, showing a robust recovery of electric vehicle market expansion to pre-pandemic pace.
In 2021, global CO2 emissions from the transport sector rebounded, growing by 8% to nearly 7.7 Gt CO2 as pandemic restrictions were lifted and passenger and goods movements began to pick up following their unprecedented decline in 2020.
Even with anticipated growth in transport demand, following the Net Zero scenario requires transport sector emissions to fall by about 20% to less than 6 Gt by 2030. Achieving this drop would depend on the rapid electrification of road vehicles, operational and technical energy efficiency measures, the commercialisation and scale-up of low-carbon fuels, especially in the maritime and aviation sub-sectors, and policies to encourage modal shift to lower carbon-intensive travel options.
Living car-free might be ‘the most impactful thing we can do to reduce our transport emissions,’ according to Dr Jennings.
However, ditching the car is not possible for everyone, particularly if you live in an area without good public transport, or are disabled. Small steps still have an impact, like walking and cycling to the local shops, or sharing car journeys with friends or neighbours. Electric cars are becoming more widespread, but they are still prohibitively expensive for some people, and charging infrastructure is limited in places. Unfortunately for keen travellers, flying is one of the most carbon-intensive things we can do as individuals. Domestic flights have the largest emissions per person per kilometre. Train journeys can have less than a fifth of the impact of a domestic flight, although they might be more expensive. Booking in advance can help reduce the cost.
“For those who fly a lot, reducing the number of flights you take will make a considerable difference to your personal footprint,” says Dr Jennings. So, at last, the long-awaited hydrogen revolution is here. Back in the early 2000s, backers of hydrogen thought it would dominate the clean automobile market.
Green hydrogen is becoming a critical source of energy in global energy markets, playing an increasingly central role in the transition to a green energy future. With usage in diverse areas such as transport, manufacturing and the chemical industry, green hydrogen is expected to play a central role in transforming global industries as countries around the world are seeking to decarbonise their economies. The global green hydrogen market size was valued at US$ 0.3 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach US$ 9.8 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 54.7% from 2021 to 2028.
The most advanced method of producing hydrogen gas on an industrial scale is called electrolysis, a process that uses electrical energy to split water into hydrogen atoms and oxygen.
To count as green hydrogen, the
electricity used to run the electrolysis process must come from renewable sources, leading to close to zero carbon emissions in the production process. With their abundant renewable energy sources, African countries are well- positioned to become green hydrogen leaders.
Namibia, in particular, with its excellent sunshine and wind conditions, combined with abundant seawater, has great potential to leapfrog the rest of the continent and develop a sustainable green hydrogen industrial base, driving socio-economic growth, creating jobs and ending energy poverty in the country.
*Dr Moses Amweelo is a former minister of works, transport and communication. He earned a doctorate in Technical Science, Industrial Engineering and Management from the International Transport Academy (St Petersburg, Russia).