R3: Shifting Europe's Transport Infrastructure Towards Sustainability and Justice: The European Rail Network at the Centre

Gathered in Lisbon, a city with little to no train connection to the rest of
Europe, we Greens are acutely aware of the urgent need to place rail transport
at the centre of Europe’s mobility strategy. The Portuguese example demonstrates
the urgency of this need. Since the 1990s, significant portions of the country´s
rail network have been de-activated, while roads and highways have been
massively expanded. Lisbon has lost
its direct train connection to Madrid and the broader European network.

Across Europe, there are many similar stories. Public transport and rail
networks have been dismantled and left to decay due to underinvestment and
privatisation. Night trains have been discontinued or left without improvements,
reducing alternatives to short-haul flights.

Meanwhile, airports and roads keep expanding. Projects such as the expansion of
Barcelona and Heathrow airports, the port of Valencia, and new motorways in
Belgium contradict the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy, and the
EU’s climate commitments. Europe’s infrastructure model still depends
excessively on cars and planes, while trains — the most reliable, sustainable,
and socially equitable mode of transport — remain underfunded and
underdeveloped, leading to decreased quality and safety. According to a 2023
Greenpeace report, Europe’s rail network shrunk by 6.5% over the past 30 years,
while motorways grew by over 60%.

The Greens call for a radical shift in European infrastructure policy, placing
rail at the heart of European mobility and the green transition.

Shifting EU Transport Policy to a Sustainable Model

Europe’s current transport model is unsustainable, unjust, and increasingly
incompatible with climate goals. The mass use of cars, proliferation of flights,
and the high cost of train journeys favour the wealthiest and exclude peripheral
areas, exacerbating mobility poverty. At the same time, large destructive
infrastructure projects are further increasing emissions, destroying habitats,
and undermining the goal of climate neutrality by 2050, while jeopardising
energy sovereignty, geopolitical autonomy, and security .

Increased aviation and road traffic produce high greenhouse gas emissions, as
well as noise and air pollution, that harm public health. Despite this,
subsidies are still flowing disproportionately toward aviation, with kerosene
still tax-free and touristification rising. Road traffic represents as much as
20% of Europe’s total emissions, but governments insist on expanding motorways,
inducing further demand, while online shopping and last-mile logistics add even
further pressure.

Europe’s infrastructure model remains based on the outdated belief that massive
road and port expansion drives economic growth. Human- and nature centred means
of transportation are overlooked and disregarded. The current model places
disproportionate pressure on cities and fragile ecosystems, particularly in
peripheral regions, where access to mobility, economic opportunities and social
services remains limited. Sustainable mobility should be seen as a meta-right,
necessary to exercise other rights, not an economic privilege.

If Europe continues this path, it will remain geopolitically fragile,
economically inefficient and socially unequal. It will be impossible to achieve
carbon neutrality by 2050, mitigate climate change and protect life on Earth. A
fundamental shift toward sustainable transport centred on rail is essential to
protect the planet, ensure energy independence, and guarantee fair mobility for
all citizens.