IEA 2019. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Purpose and scope

On a worldwide basis, the transport sector today is responsible for almost one-third of final Page | 19 energy demand and nearly two-thirds oil demand. It is also responsible for nearly one-quarter

of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fuel combustion and is a major contributor to air pollution, particularly in urban areas. Changes in transportation fuel use are, therefore, fundamental to achieving a global energy transition, which will guarantee energy security, alleviate air pollution and mitigate climate change. The challenge is heightened by the rapid pace of rising demand for mobility, especially in developing economies, where cities are growing exponentially, creating a need for more efficient, faster and cleaner transportation. Rail has characteristics that enable it to reduce energy demand in transport and draw on diverse energy sources. It can mitigate CO2 emissions from transport and contribute to a broader transition towards sustainability. Its particular strengths are: energy efficiency (on average, trains are close to 12-times more energy efficient than road and air travel in terms of final energy per passenger transported and 8-times more efficient than trucks per tonne of freight carried); its reliance on very diverse energy sources; and its contribution to reducing congestion on road networks. Rail provides mobility with minimal emissions of harmful air pollutants and, thanks to agglomeration effects, facilitates economic growth.

Rail today serves passenger and freight mobility needs in countries across the globe. In 2016, rail services were an important component of passenger mobility in People’s Republic of China (“China”), India, Japan, European Union and Russian Federation (“Russia”), and provided a significant fraction of all goods movements in North America, China, Russia and India. Globally, rail constituted 8% of passenger transport and 7% of freight movements in 2016. Rail accounted for less than 2% of transport energy, far less than the sector’s share of transport activity. The reasons are multiple: the large carrying capacity of trains, compared to other modes; the high efficiency of electric motors; and the efficiency of fuel use resulting from the very low resistance offered by the steel-to-steel interface between wheels and tracks. With roughly one-third of its global energy consumed in the form of electricity, rail is also currently the only transport mode that does not rely almost exclusively on oil. The share of electricity in rail energy use exceeds 70% in major economies, such as China and the European Union. In Japan, this share is more than 90%.

In highly populated “megacities”, many of which are in Asia (with more yet to be built), urban rail (metro and light rail) plays a critical role in large-scale passenger movements. This form of rail travel diversifies the transport energy mix, reduces local air pollution, alleviates congestion and improves overall productivity. But there are also limiting factors. Because of its capitalintensive nature, urban rail requires very high throughput in order to achieve its environmental and economic goals.

This report examines how the role of rail in global transport might be elevated as a means to reduce the energy use and environmental impacts of transport services. It explores plausible scenarios to 2050 in which such an enhanced role is achieved, assessing the environmental, societal and energy security implications.

This analysis is guided by the essential need to respect the economic viability of rail undertakings and sheds light on the key instruments that can turn potential benefits into actual achievements. Crucial components of the solutions identified are: