Sustainable mobility aims to ensure that transport systems meet the economic, social and environmental needs of society while minimising their negative impacts. Sustainable mobility aims to address a number of issues, including:

• Air and noise pollution
• Traffic congestion
• Traffic accidents
• Urban degradation caused by excessive use of vehicles
• Land consumption due to construction of infrastructure and buildings
• Transport costs that are borne by the community and individuals.

The European Union is promoting its development and implementation through a series of initiatives and dedicated funds, with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Available European funds

The European Executive Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and Environment (CINEA) manages several key programmes for the period 2021-2027 with a total budget of over €50 billion.

Of all the projects, those of interest in sustainable mode are mainly:

• The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF):which supports the development of transport and energy infrastructure, in particular projects of common interest for efficient networks and infrastructures, Interconnected and multimodal for intelligent, interoperable, sustainable, inclusive, accessible, safe and secure mobility, and the upgrading of parts of the trans-European transport network to improve civil and military mobility;

• Innovation Fund: It finances development projects of pioneering technologies in the fields of energy-intensive industries, hydrogen, renewable energies, carbon capture and storage infrastructure and production of key components for energy storage and renewable energies.

• Horizon Europe (Cluster 5): It focuses on climate, energy and transport, promoting research and innovation, supporting scientific and technological excellence to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

• LIFE Programme: Supports initiatives related to nature and biodiversity, circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and transition to clean energy.

Inoltre, il In addition, the Social Climate Fund was established to support vulnerable households, micro-enterprises and transport users by addressing price impacts. Starting in 2026, the fund will support investments for the renovation of buildings and the deployment of zero-emission transport, as well as provide income support measures. This fund, part of the EU budget for 2027-2032, has a maximum amount of €65 billion and aims to facilitate the transition towards a more sustainable economy by helping citizens invest in energy efficiency and sustainable mobility.

Sectors of Major Investment

According to the "Fit for 55" package, the EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. To achieve this, the most significant investments will be made in:

• Infrastructure for alternative fuels, to accelerate the implementation of vehicle charging and refuelling stations, including power supply for ships in ports and aircraft parked.
• Energy efficiency, to reduce energy consumption by 36% for final consumption and 39% for primary energy consumption by 2030, with a particular focus on the public sector.

Technologies in Development

Key technologies under development to promote sustainable mobility in Europe include:

• Electric vehicles and charging infrastructure: the network of charging stations is being expanded to promote and facilitate the purchase of electric vehicles,
• Intelligent traffic management systems,with a particular focus on applications that can optimize traffic flows and reduce congestion,
• Sustainable public transport: efforts are being made to increase the sustainability and efficiency of public transport
• Renewable energy projects for the transport sector, for example, Ferrovie dello Stato has announced an investment of 1.3 billion euros for a photovoltaic system to cover 19% of the company’s energy needs by 2029.
• Cycling mobility and micromobility: Solutions are being implemented to encourage the use of bicycles and other means such as electric scooters, through the creation of dedicated infrastructures and sharing systems.
• Digitalization of transport: digital technologies are integrated into transport systems, for a more efficient and sustainable management of urban mobility, as is the case in smart cities.

These technologies, supported by targeted policies and investments, are transforming the mobility landscape in Europe towards more sustainable and efficient solutions