‘Dependency and self-evidence of the car is not questioned’

In the week that European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen called on EU member states to work on energy savings and fuel prices rose to new heights due to the war in the Middle East, the Jetten cabinet was not very eager to take drastic measures now. The House of Representatives called for an investigation into lowering excise duties, but coalition partners D66 and CDA are against. Another option being looked at is compensation for increased energy costs.

A policy area that, according to European Commissioner Jørgensen, should be particularly looked at is the transport sector. Transport researcher Giulio Mattioli, affiliated with the Technical University of Dortmund, sees how different European governments respond differently, depending on their political color and dependence on fossil fuels. The Italian urban geographer expects a forced “steep learning curve” for policymakers in the coming weeks and months.

Because the energy mix varies in Europe, not every country is affected to the same extent. “This especially applies to electricity generation,” says Mattioli. France, for example, has a large share of nuclear energy. Other countries, such as Denmark or Portugal, make extensive use of renewable energy and Italy, for example, is dependent on imported gas. “But when it comes to road transport, every country is practically the same, because it runs predominantly on oil. This also means that all countries will be affected in the same way.”

The left-wing government in Spain is allocating 5 billion euros for dozens of support measures, including lowering VAT on diesel and petrol. Is that a good idea?

“Not only are there higher prices, but we are also heading towards a fuel shortage. And because more oil will not simply be added, such measures will not work. It is important to look at the accessibility and affordability of fuel and transport. Because not everyone is affected to the same extent. You should help people who have difficulty with transport to work or to pay for care, but not necessarily the people who want to go on holiday by car. That requires very targeted measures. You should support people who are in serious need. And others You should encourage groups that can reduce their oil demand to do so.”

European Commissioner Jørgensen also hinted at targeted policies instead of generic measures, also to prevent budget deficits and rising government debts. What could that look like?

“Those most vulnerable to the price increases are people who use the car a lot, have a low income and live in areas where access to other means of transport is limited. Measures could be targeted at certain income groups, but also at certain regions where dependence on the car is greater. For example, it makes less sense to help people in the center of Berlin, because they can probably get by without a car there. But in other parts of Germany where there are few alternatives to the car, this is possible. be useful.”

Shouldn’t we just invest more in public transport?

“Improving public transport can take time Environmental Planning Agency has done research into how accessibility of different means of transport has changed between 2012 and 2022. The accessibility of public transport appeared to have deteriorated: it simply takes more time to get to work by public transport, for example. The accessibility of facilities for cars has not changed in the same period. So people in the Netherlands have become more dependent on their cars. It is evident that this makes you more vulnerable to disruptions on the global market.”

Is it complicated for governments that have invested little in public transport to now ask people to use their cars less?

“Our passenger transport in Europe has become very dependent on the car. It is very difficult to get around with alternatives to the car in the same way, in the same time and with the same ease. The self-evidence of the car is not questioned, but it would be wiser to have a transport system that is not so dependent on one means of transport and fuel source. In times of crisis we see that a transport system that is so dependent on the car is not only harmful to the environment, but also inherently vulnerable to geopolitical unrest.”

You now see that people are buying second-hand electric cars in order to anticipate the ever-rising fuel prices. Is a faster switch to electric driving the solution?

“In the medium term, this crisis could accelerate the transition to electric cars. But in the short term, it is probably not a feasible solution for most people, simply because of the high purchase costs of these cars. Especially during an economic crisis, people will probably not be willing to invest so much money. And if people want to buy a new electric car, you also have long delivery times. There are simply limits to production capacity.”

Various proposals are now being made in the Dutch parliament. In addition to reducing excise duties and compensating energy costs, the introduction of a so-called ‘climate ticket’ based on the German model has also been proposed. The response of the new government is still tentative. How can that be explained?

“Parties on the centre-right side of the political spectrum often have the idea that the demand for energy should not be brought up for discussion. This goes against the idea of ​​consumer freedom, because ‘the consumer’ knows best what to do. The reasoning is that no distinction should be made between the person who needs the car to go to work and the person who takes his Porsche for a fun ride. While such a distinction would certainly be sensible.”

Is the response of European governments comparable to the run-up to the corona pandemic, when we also seemed to think we could escape it?

“Compared to Covid, it is now more of a shock on the demand side than on the supply side; then production stopped and people got sick. What is comparable is that we think that as long as things do not really happen here, we will hardly be able to see them coming. Neither at a political level, nor in the media and society. When Covid took hold in China and Italy, many people in Northern Europe thought: it will happen there, but it will not happen here, because we wash our hands. Ultimately it became clear that we are much more in the same boat worldwide than we think.”

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