Rail transport is the safest and most environmentally friendly mode of land transportation, playing a significant role in the process of transforming Europe's green mobility. Currently, transport emissions account for approximately 25% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions.
To address the threats of climate change, the European Commission has committed to becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 by implementing the European Green Deal. One of the key objectives of this plan is to achieve a 55% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, along with its associated action plan, is an integral part of the European Green Deal and includes 82 initiatives across 10 key areas, each with specific measures. The strategy serves as a guideline for the coming years to achieve a 90% reduction in transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is based on goals to establish a sustainable, smart, and resilient mobility sector.
Rail transport has advantages in terms of emissions compared to other modes of land transport, so in the future, more attention should be paid to promoting this type of transportation in the country by creating economic incentives and making railway infrastructure more accessible and economically viable, including reducing access charges to infrastructure.
Air pollution generated by transportation characterizes the sustainability of different modes of transport and the social costs incurred by society depending on its environmental impact. The dynamics show that the volume of CO2 emissions from various modes of transport is decreasing.
Uniform and optimal intensity of railway infrastructure utilization is a precondition for its long-term operation and financing planning; therefore, it is important to promote its effective use and ensure cost-competitive passenger and freight transport.
In the Baltic States, the number of significant railway accidents per year has decreased. By making technical improvements, improving infrastructure, and educating the public, it is expected that the offered railway transportation services for passengers could become more accessible and safer.
It is expected that by providing economic incentives for the promotion of railway transportation at a higher intensity, the number of people exposed to elevated noise levels would not significantly increase.
The proportion of freight transport in neighboring countries indicates better predictability of market future conditions, whereas in Latvia, the market situation largely depends on political processes abroad.
Passenger rail transport in Latvia has a relatively higher demand compared to other Baltic States, but there is still significant potential for passenger transport growth, with improving service quality and availability in the future.
The PRIME publicly available report for 2021 can be found at: link to the Prime Infrastructure Homepage