REVIEW AND ANALYSIS ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES OF TRANSPORT SECTOR IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

Motorization results in serious environmental consequences such as air pollution, greenhouse effect, and so on. Several European countries have taken the initiatives in formulating various policy measures in the transport sector aiming at environmental protection.
In this paper, historical evidences of the relationship between several transport policies proposed or implemented in Europe and environmental consciousness of governments and citizens are examined. Then, these policies are reviewed in detail. Through the analysis, it is found that 1) environmental protection consciousness is reflected on implemented policies, 2) policy objectives, implemented measurements, and intended scope vary even within the same country, 3) in these countries, environmental protection is the consensus of the nation, 4) implemented policies do not reduce economic efficiency, and 5) spatial scale of some policies is international.