Eurostar, the high-speed passenger service between Britain and mainland Europe, published its first Tread Lightly Report, revealing progress towards achieving its environmental targets.

Higher load factors and a switch of electricity supply in the Channel Tunnel have chiefly contributed to a cut of more than a quarter (31 percent) in carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) per passenger trips, compared with 2007. Eurostar has now raised its target to a 35 percent savings by 2012.

The Tread Lightly plan was published in April 2007 and included cutting CO2 emissions by 25 percent (now 35 percent) per passenger journey by 2012; a 10-point plan to reduce all other environmental impacts; and a commitment to neutralize the carbon from all passenger journeys from the date of Eurostar’s move to St Pancras International, which opened November 2007, by offsetting them through investment in projects that reduce the same amount of CO2

Progress on the 10-point plan has included an increase in waste recycling at Eurostar’s UK maintenance depot; a reduction of more than 70 percent in waste being sent to landfill from directly managed sites compared to 2007 and new measures to help travelers to reduce emissions when connecting with Eurostar services.

Although Eurostar has achieved its 25 percent target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions per journey earlier than expected, it foresees a modest reversal this year as a result of the economic downturn. Nevertheless the target has now been raised to a 35 percent reduction in emissions per passenger journey by 2012.

To view the full report, click here.