Aree

This indicator tracks the share of road vehicles complying with the most recent emission standards during the 2005-2023 period. In 2023, passenger cars still showed a non-negligible proportion (13.5%) of Euro 0 gasoline vehicles, while for diesel cars this share was significantly lower at approximately 2.9%. More concerning is the commercial vehicle fleet situation - predominantly diesel-powered - where 10.4% of light commercial vehicles (vans) and 25.9% of heavy goods vehicles remain at Euro 0 standard.

This indicator monitors the development of transport infrastructure networks. Between 1990 and 2023, 1.376 km of new motorways were constructed in Italy (+22.2%). As of 2023, Italy ranks eighth in the world for operational high-speed rail network length, according to the International Union of Railways (UIC).

The indicator quantifies fuel consumption in the transport sector, with the aim of reducing and/or diversifying it. Energy consumption in the transport sector has shown a rising trend since the 1990s, followed by a decline starting in 2007. A recovery in consumption was observed in 2018 and 2019, while the sharp reduction in 2020 is attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was followed by a rebound in 2021 and a further increase in 2022 and 2023.

The indicator allows the evaluation of the trend of specific carbon dioxide emissions of the circulating car fleet through the comparison between the values resulting from type-approval procedures and the values deriving from the actual use of vehicles on the road. It is also useful for the monitoring of carbon dioxide emissions of the circulating car fleet in relation to compliance with the voluntary agreements between the European Commission and the automotive industry. Since 2001, the year in which the Civil Motorization began to monitor the specific emissions of the newly registered fleet, these emissions have been decreasing and are in any case significantly lower than the estimates of real on-road emissions, showing a gap between type-approval data and real-world data.

The indicator measures the size of the vehicle fleet, which represents a major factor contributing to environmental pressure. According to Eurostat, Italy has the highest vehicle fleet among EU countries in relation to population. In 2022, the number of passenger cars per thousand inhabitants was 682, exceeded only by Liechtenstein and Iceland.