Railway specific environmental performance indicators

Summary

This leaflet contains definitions for six environmental key performance indicators - or "KPIs" - for railway companies (operators, infrastructure managers or integrated companies) as well as explanations on how to produce them. The six indicators are:

The chosen indicators serve to compare the environmental performance of railways and other modes of transport, and enable monitoring of rail transport's share of renewable energy sources, energy consumption, CO2 emissions, air pollution, noise exposure and land take. This leaflet is valid for use by all UIC member companies. Due to the strict legislative framework in Europe, several references are made to EU legislation (e.g. for air pollution and noise).

Important system boundaries as well as explanations for data processing are defined for each indicator. Furthermore the reference variables needed to implement the key environmental indicators are specified in detail.

The data collection and data quality process is divided into three levels: basic, simple and advanced - enabling all railway companies to set up appropriate systems with environmental indicators to monitor their corporate environmental impact and demonstrate environmental improvements or advantages compared to other modes of transport.

It is recommended to gradually improve the data quality according to the principles in this leaflet - for the benefit of the individual railway company as well as that of the international railway community.