Workshop 1

25-26 October 2007, Gothenburg
Transport and the Environment
Barriers to the take up of environmental technologies in the transport sector

ETTAR has been established to identify and assess training needs, methods and activities for the wider use of environmental technologies in the transportation sector. ETTAR focuses on activities that assist the sector to make its contribution to reductions not just of greenhouse gases, but also of other pollutants that have significant consequences for ecosystems.

ETTAR runs from April 2007 to September 2008 and is a coordinated action plan under the 6th EU Framework Programme, contract No. 044244. It builds on action 22 and 23 of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP), which focus on targeted training and awareness raising.

ETTAR Workshops

Three workshops, each of which has a distinct theme, will look at the technology which is available to improve the environmental impact of the transport sector. Areas to be discussed include improved vehicle design, use of alternative fuels, vehicle tracking and logistics technology, and traffic information management and modelling systems. The first workshop will focus on vehicle and fuel technology and the second on logistics processes, whilst the third will take a broader look at how technology can be used, in the wider context of transport and planning, in order to achieve environmental improvements.

Each workshop will bring together a number of specialists representing different perspectives. Participants will include: technology developers; fuel producers; procurement department specialists and strategic planners from logistics companies, airlines and airports and government departments; academics; and public sector representatives including policy makers, transport and town planners.

Sessions will be led by one or two speakers, but with the emphasis on discussion and facilitated dialogue amongst peer groups rather than simply on expert presentations to an audience. Workshops will focus not on dissemination of new research findings but on barriers to a transition towards adoption of more environmentally friendly transport strategies.

The objectives are:

to share information amongst those working in the transport – especially freight transport - sector to ensure that businesses and policy makers are aware of best practice, are able to take a broader look at environmental performance and to understand each others’ perspectives and impacts across the supply chain.

to understand the business case for the adoption of environmentally positive transport strategies, to identify any obstacles preventing implementation of these strategies and to consider policy changes that would be needed in order for there to be a viable business case.

to discuss a specification for an e-learning tutorial to increase awareness of the challenges of environmental sustainability in the transport industry by identifying the underlying issues and dilemmas and outlining responses and sources of further information.

to ensure that insights and proposals are not lost but taken forward via networks that can help to bring about change.