PATH2ZERO convenes in Milan to assess progress towards net-zero transport pathways
From 6–7 May 2026, the PATH2ZERO consortium gathered in Milan, Italy, for the project’s third consortium meeting and General Assembly. Hosted by TRT Trasporti e Territorio and co-organised with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the two-day meeting brought together consortium partners to assess project progress, coordinate upcoming activities, and strengthen collaboration.
The meeting featured technical sessions, strategic discussions, policy updates, and collaborative workshops focused on accelerating the development of robust and actionable pathways towards net-zero transport systems across Europe.
Achievements so far
In the first year of the project, significant advancements were made across several tasks, including progress in data management, policy mapping, and the initial transport modelling and future pathway analyses.
Ongoing work is continuing on the STraDyM transport model and the integration of harmonised European transport datasets.
Since the project launched over a year ago, milestones, including the development of the PolicyFrameMapper tool, have assisted researchers, policymakers and local authorities with a harmonised visual database covering national- and city-wide measures in all EU Member States, the United Kingdom and Norway. This offers a new and improved way of understanding policies driving Europe’s transition to net-zero transport.
European and national policy perspectives
The meeting also featured contributions from external stakeholders and policymakers. Katarzyna Drabicka, a representative from the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, joined online to provide updates on European policy developments relevant to sustainable and decarbonised transport systems. Drabicka’s presentation highlighted the need for reliable modelling tools and comparable national pathway analysis to help policymakers better understand the impacts, trade-offs, and opportunities linked to transport decarbonisation across Europe. Additionally, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) provided an update on the Italian transport emissions context and the country’s climate policy outlook. ISPRA highlighted that transport now accounts for more than 31% of Italy’s total greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport responsible for more than 90% of transport-related emissions. Representatives also pointed to the growing challenge of meeting national climate targets under the Effort Sharing Regulation, underlining the need for stronger modal shift policies, public transport investment, and measures supporting behavioural change.
Advancing transport modelling pathways
Technical sessions throughout the second day focused on upcoming modelling activities and the preparation of national and intersectoral transport pathways. Partners discussed progress within benchmarking methodologies and links between transport decarbonisation and wider cross-sector transitions.
The consortium also prepared for the latest National Stakeholder Group (NSG) and European Network of Stakeholders Forum (ENSF) activities, which play a central role in ensuring stakeholder involvement in PATH2ZERO results and findings.
Scientific findings available
A growing portfolio of scientific publications and conference contributions is emerging; several papers related to transport decarbonisation strategies, system dynamics modelling, and pathway evaluation have been published, including:
- ‘Adapting Road Transport Decarbonization Strategies: A Comparative Study between Spain, Norway, and the United Kingdom’ (UPM)
- ‘Improving the environmental performance of island electromobility’ (CERTH)
- ‘Impact of cycle lanes and public bike parking on bicycle commuting: How to achieve France’s cycling mode share target?’ (ENTPE)
Next for PATH2ZERO
The meeting concluded with an overview of key action points in preparation for the remainder of the project.
As PATH2ZERO moves into its next phase, the consortium remains committed to supporting Europe’s transition towards climate-neutral transport systems through integrated modelling, policy analysis, and collaborative knowledge exchange.
Explore the photos from the third project meeting
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