Eurostar, the high-speed rail network linking France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK, announces its goal of enabling 30 million passengers to travel sustainably while lowering carbon emissions by 2030.
Detailed in its first sustainability report, Eurostar’s sustainability strategy focuses on three main areas.
· Reducing its impact by sourcing renewable energies for its traction needs and reducing its energy requirements. For example, through its Memorandum of Understanding signed with Infrabel in February 2024 to study the installation of novel solar projects to power trains.
· Integrating circularity throughout the value chain, i.e. from production to end-of-life, to minimise waste and use resources more efficiently. For instance, every on-board dish is thoughtfully curated with sustainable sourcing and environmentally friendly options in mind. These efforts have already been rewarded as Eurostar received a three-star rating from the Food Made Good Awards for its on-board catering offer.
· Attracting more passengers to its low-carbon service by continuing to develop “open hubs”, to connect Eurostar services to domestic networks or long-haul flights, for example through its air-rail partnership with KLM.
Ambition: 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030
One of Eurostar’s primary objectives is to work with partners and regulators in its quest to power its trains using 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
“This is a deliberately ambitious target, Eurostar wants to use its brand and commitment to accelerate change across the sector,” explains Eurostar CEO Gwendoline Cazenave. “To achieve our goal, we work closely together with our partners in each of our markets, we encourage regulatory support for the rapid deployment of new renewable energy projects.”
To facilitate this work, Eurostar recently joined the RE100 alliance with companies committed to sourcing 100 per cent of their energy from renewable sources. “We’re proud to be the first rail company to join,” continues Gwendoline Cazenave. “Today, the transport sector accounts for 25 per cent of European greenhouse gas emissions, making sustainable high-speed rail a key solution to a quarter of Europe’s climate problem”.
Ollie Wilson, Head of RE100, Climate Group: “We’re delighted to welcome Eurostar to RE100, the first rail firm to join. Eurostar is setting a global example and leading the way on renewables powering our rail networks. Eurostar now has the opportunity to draw on a global network of over 400 companies as it works towards 30 million journeys a year powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030. We encourage other businesses in the rail sector to follow Eurostar’s lead and commit to 100 per cent renewable electricity.”
Currently, in the Netherlands, Eurostar trains have been running on 100 per cent wind power since 2017, and this figure has reached 40 per cent in the UK since 2023. In Belgium, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with Infrabel in February 2024 to study the installation of novel solar projects to power trains.
Eurostar takes responsibility for reducing its own emissions and environmental footprint to ensure that every one of its passengers is transported at the lowest possible environmental cost. “We’re building the backbone of sustainable travel in Europe, with a target of 30 million passengers by 2030, at the same time we’re also committed to building the mode of international transport that has the least negative impact on the planet, reducing emissions even as we grow.”
Read the report: https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en/sustainability
