**2. Path to achieve zero net CO2 emissions by 2050**

In order to ensure the path to Net Zero Emissions (NZE) by 2050, as European Union stated, the use of renewable energy sources and energy efficiency should be increased, as well as the air quality improving by reducing greenhouse gas emissions should be performed [5]. There are four factors that contribute to the NZE: consumer affection adaptation, governmental policies, the strategy of the traditional original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), corporate companies [6].

The energy consumptions prediction is based on four scenarios, developed by the World Energy Outlook 2021 (WEO-2021) based on the World Energy Model (WE): Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE, stated as a normative in order to obtain the specific outcomes), the Announced Policies Scenario (APS, stated as exploratory, deliver the market dynamics or other relevant outputs based on the defined set of starting conditions inputs applied to the WEM), the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS, stated as exploratory), and the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS, stated as normative to fulfill the Paris Agreement).

In order to highlight the paths to achieve zero net CO2 emissions by 2050, in the global and industrial energy sector by specific actors, there is the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. In order to achieve the long-term goals agreed in Paris in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5°C, the Announced Policies Scenario highlights the difference between the target and the current state of energy and climate policies to achieve the above-mentioned goal through all the climate commitments made by governments around the world, but also through their own national contributions. This scenario ensures that all assumed zero net targets are met on time (Announced Policies Scenario).

The Stated Policies Scenario provides a baseline picture of the achievements and developments of energy and climate policies undertaken by governments around the world through their evaluation.

The Sustainable Development Scenario is used to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and to take effective measures to significantly reduce air pollution by 2030, by ensuring universal access to modern energy services (**Figure 1**) [7].

The rise of the sales appears on one hand due to the subsidies inclusion in the pandemic resilient plans in certain European countries), on the other hand, due to the European Union's policy to ban the sale of polluting vehicles (petrol, gas, or diesel) in 2030. Only in one year (2019–2020), in the Covid-19 pandemic evolution, the EV and PHEV sales have been tripled in EU-27, Iceland, Norway, and the United Kingdom increasing from 3.5% in 2019 to 11.41% in 2020.

The main barriers to purchasing electric vehicles are hierarchal ordered: price, autonomy, charging time [8].

The increase in sales in 2021 is due on the one hand to the introduction of subsidies in certain European countries (following the pandemic recovery plan), on the other hand, due to the European Union's policy to ban the sale of polluting vehicles (petrol, gas or diesel) in 2030. The main barriers to purchasing electric vehicles are price, autonomy, charging time. Electric vehicles are at risk of being powered by a single power supply.

The EU has seen 2020 the largest increase in sales of electric vehicles in 2020. The best-selling electric cars (including batteries and plug-in hybrid) were registered in Germany, the Nordic countries, and the Netherlands (**Figure 2**) [9].

According to Regulation (EU) 2019/631, the CO2 emissions from the new passenger cars should be registered with specific details.

In terms of carbon emissions, the new Environment, Climate, Safety and Security Standard, called the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), came into force in 2021. This standard replaces the New European Driving

#### **Figure 1.**

*The development progress scenario of the population accessing to the electricity [7].*

*Introductory Chapter: Towards 2050 NZE Pathway - Electric Transportation DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102324*

#### **Figure 2.**

*The electric vehicle market in EU by countries: absolute newly registered electric cars [9].*

Cycle (NEDC) standard, being closer to the real driving conditions. In this way, each EU country has to register each vehicle on the basis of a data set that characterizes the vehicle (name of the manufacturer, specific emissions of CO2, mass, type of fuel, engine capacity, and engine power) (**Figures 3** and **4**).

**Figure 5** includes the historical greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) in the domestic transport sector of the European Union Member States, the future path of GHGE by taking the stipulated measures of the European Parliament, and the future path without additional measures. Taking into account the reference year of 1990, in 2030 it is expected a reduction of GHGE by 6% with existing additional measures. Without any additional measures case, the GHGE would be increased, the maximum registering in 2025, before changing the gradient sign; thereafter, in 2030 the GHGE would be 10% above the 1990 level. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the GHGE decreases by 12.7% at the 2020 level.

The most GHGE production after road transport (72%) are aviation (13.1%-international and domestic) and navigation (13%) at the 2014 level [11], as is shown in **Figure 6a**.

GHGE distribution in the transport sector by mode in 2014 [11] is reflected in **Figure 6a**. At the 2019 level (**Figure 6b**), the EU greenhouse emissions in the road transport sector by mode decrease to 71.1%, in aviation increases to13.4%, and in total navigation slowly increase to 14.1%, according to [12].

**Figure 3.** *The number of light vehicles registration by country [9].*

#### **Figure 4.**

*The weight of each type of vehicle depending on the used fuel type [9].*

At the worldwide level, **Figure 7** shows the subsector GHGE distribution from the transport domain in 2020 (**Figure 8**) [13].

In addition to domestic transport, the international aviation and shipping sectors contribute to the total GHG, which is up from the 1990 reference level.

#### *Introductory Chapter: Towards 2050 NZE Pathway - Electric Transportation DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102324*

#### **Figure 5.**

*The historical, present, and the predicted greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector in European Union [10].*

**Figure 6.** *EU GHGE distribution in transport sector by mode in 2014 (a) [11] and 2029 (b) [12].*

**Figure 7.** *Worldwide GHGE distribution in transport sector by mode in 2020 [13].*

The largest share of CO2 emissions comes from transport belongs to the road (72% in 2019). Therefore, most of the measures to reduce emissions are dedicated to road transport. The effect will be to reduce this share in 2030 but to increase other modes of transport (e.g. aviation).

**Figure 8.** *The greenhouse emissions by category: past, present, future [14].*

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a sharp drop in emissions, especially in the aviation sector, following an increase in the coming years.
