The indicator assesses greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector in order to verify the achievement of national and international targets. In 2023, transport accounted for 28.3% of total greenhouse gas emissions in Italy.

Between 1990 and 2019, emissions from the transport sector (excluding international transport/bunkers) increased by 4.0%. In 2020, a significant decrease was observed (-18.6% compared to 2019), primarily due to mobility restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequently, between 2020 and 2021, emissions rose by 18.9%. In 2023, a return to pre-pandemic levels was confirmed.

Overall, transport sector emissions increased by 6.7% from 1990 to 2023. The national transport system continues to face various critical issues and remains far from meeting the ambitious 2030 and 2050 European targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions.

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 for the assessment of emissions of the main air pollutants produced by the transport sector. In Italy, harmful emissions from road transport have significantly decreased in recent years, thanks to the introduction of catalytic converters, particulate filters, and other technologies installed in vehicles. From 1990 to 2023, road emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds decreased by 87.6%, nitrogen oxide emissions by 71.3%, and fine particulate emissions by 69.9%. Sulfur oxide emissions, now almost absent in road transport, remain significant in maritime transport. Air pollutant emissions are monitored at the national level to verify compliance with reduction commitments set by the European Union, with the goal of achieving air quality levels that do not cause significant negative impacts or pose serious risks to human health and the environment.

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 passenger transport demand (according to different modes) and compares its trend with that of economic growth and population. Transport demand is increasingly met by individual road transport (passenger cars and motorcycles), which, due to its growth and modal share (approximately 81% in 2023), remains dominant compared to other transport modes.

Stricter emission standards, the introduction of new technologies into the market—such as the installation of catalytic converters in vehicles—and improvements in fuel quality have led to significant reductions in the specific emissions of various pollutants from passenger cars and trucks; however, these improvements have been partially offset by the increase in traffic.

The indicator determines mortality and severity rates associated with different transport modes, to inform policies for enhancing transport safety. In Italy during 2023, 166,525 road accidents involving personal injuries were recorded, resulting in 3,039 fatalities and 224,634 injuries. Compared to 2022, the number of road accidents increased by 0.4%, while fatalities and injuries showed a decrease of -3.8% and an increase of 0.5%, respectively.

This indicator monitors the development of transport infrastructure networks. Between 1990 and 2022, 1,373 km of new motorways were constructed in Italy (+22.2%). As of 2022, Italy ranks eighth in the world for operational high-speed rail network length, according to the International Union of Railways (UIC).

The indicator evaluates the demand for freight transport (also in relation to economic growth) and the evolution over time of modal split. The transport demand is increasingly met by road freight transport, which continues to dominate other transport modes in terms of growth and modal share (approximately 62% in 2023).

This indicator tracks the share of road vehicles complying with the most recent emission standards during the 2005-2022 period. In 2022, passenger cars still showed a non-negligible proportion (13.7%) 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 11.2% of light commercial vehicles (vans) and 27.1% of heavy goods vehicles remain at Euro 0 standard.

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.