Catalyzing Sustainable Transport Innovation through Policy Support and Monitoring: The Case of TRIMIS and the European Green Deal

Abstract

Transport contributes significantly to economic growth and higher quality of life, but its associated externalities have an environmental, economic and social impact and are the main impetus to support innovation towards sustainable transport. The European Commission’s Communication on a European Green Deal sets out the objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, for which transport emissions will need to be further reduced. Innovation within the transport sector gains greater prominence, with some anticipating an innovation revolution that would completely transform the sector. In this paper, the barriers that impede such a transition from happening are examined and a tool that aids policymakers and researchers with shaping transport innovation actions is presented; The Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) is an integrated transport policy-support tool with a modular design serving as an open-access information and knowledge management system. This paper provides an overview of its main features and includes a case study on transport electrification and alternative fuels, showing how monitoring efforts can aid transport research and innovation (R&I) policymaking and governance. TRIMIS contributes to identifying evolutionary and revolutionary technologies, their funding and associated policy initiatives, so the anticipated transport revolution can be better monitored, evaluated and shaped.