During his presentation, Konrad Smolarczyk emphasized the urgent need to cut emissions from road transport, which currently makes up about 21% of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions. Although the demand for greener transport is growing, many companies and decision-makers still struggle to choose the most sustainable and practical alternatives.
To help address this, Konrad Smolarczyk developed a multi-criteria assessment model that compares current transport options—such as diesel, electric, and biogas-powered vehicles—across four key dimensions: technical, environmental, economic, and social.
"Many existing assessments only look at numbers like fuel cost or emissions," said Konrad Smolarczyk. "But we also need to include important qualitative factors that can’t always be measured directly."
The model uses a color-coded rating system that makes it easier to understand and compare the strengths and weaknesses of each option. For example, diesel scores well on cost and reliability but poorly on emissions. Alternatives like compressed biogas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) show potential, but results from different studies vary—highlighting the complexity of sustainable decision-making.
Sweden’s national climate goal—reducing domestic transport emissions by 70% from 2010 levels by 2030—set the context for the presentation. Konrad Smolarczyk stressed that ambitious targets like these need practical tools to back them up.
"This tool helps visualize the trade-offs between different solutions," Konrad Smolarczyk explained. "It can guide companies, municipalities, and policy-makers in making more informed, balanced decisions."