MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING ENERGY EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Abstract

This paper aim is to explore the indicators and measures toward sustainable transportation system, with particular emphasis on the energy consumption and trends which prevent the achievement of policy objectives of reconciling the economic interests of the transport sector with energy constraints. Several arguments substantiated by empirical evidence from EU countries are put forward to demonstrate that current megatrends in transport are at odds with a sustainable development and lead to high social costs. A variety of policy strategies is discussed to improve the current threatening situation. The various paragraphs of this paper concentrate on the real problems which energy efficiency of transport present to policy-makers and assess the contribution that the analysis can make to handling more effectively recpective considerations in transport decision making. Previously, transport energy consumption concerns have been mainly restricted to local factors but recent concerns over the big dependence of the whole EU economy on the fossil fuels and of pollution-induced diseases have given importance to regional, national and global implications. The paper is to provide a general background against which the new research may be set. It does not aim either to be comprehensive in its treatment of all possible management strategies in transport or to provide answers of the questions that it or its paragraphs raise. It is hoped, however, that it may flag some of the key issues where uncertainty remains and where subsequent research could prove beneficial.