Transportation industries produce significant greenhouse gas emissions, and cutting back requires both new technologies and policies to be employed for effective emission reductions.
Transport emissions can be reduced through more energy-efficient vehicles, modal shift, zero and low carbon fuels and energy efficiency policies. Not only do these measures contribute to mitigating climate change impacts but they can also benefit human health by decreasing exposure to air pollution.
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is one of the most cost-effective methods of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, having already been widely adopted across industries and products globally, from refrigerators and low-consumption vehicles to building management systems and resource-saving production processes in industry.
Transportation industries are an increasingly significant contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing to climate change through rising air temperature and ocean acidification, extreme weather events and changing precipitation patterns. Therefore it is vitally important that they reduce their GHG emissions as well as improve resilience against their effects.
Efficiency improvements and using renewable and alternative fuels are effective ways of reducing GHG emissions in transportation. By decreasing fuel consumption and switching to alternative sources for power production, we can significantly lower GHG emissions from transportation. Furthermore, by supporting more sustainable transportation modes like trains or electric cars we can further decrease their GHG footprint in this industry.
Transport-related greenhouse gas emissions come mainly from freight shipping and road vehicles like trucks and vans. Truck traffic accounts for an impressive 88% of global diesel consumption growth since 2009.2 Shipping cargo vessels emit less carbon dioxide per ton-kilometer than road transport methods; however, long voyage times and high capital costs restrict their usage.
To overcome these challenges, it is crucial that we develop new transport technologies which are safer and more environmentally-friendly than conventional vehicles. By combining energy-efficient modes with sustainable freight transportation practices, we can lower emissions without compromising economic growth or mobility – this makes transport efficiency highly scalable and can be implemented at an affordable price point.
Vehicle Electrification
Governments around the world are adopting ambitious plans to decarbonize their transportation sector, with some including electric vehicle targets in their plans. To understand their climate benefits more thoroughly, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has conducted an innovative analysis that models both upper-bound climate impacts as well as their potential effects on an array of alternative power sources that contribute to global fleet carbon emissions.
Current global fleet emissions exceed 125 million tons of carbon dioxide each year, but by using electric power in these vehicles more frequently and decreasing their proportion relative to conventional gasoline and diesel vehicles, over 40% could be reduced by 2050 compared with business as usual scenarios. Furthermore, this reduction of CO2 also decreases smog-forming pollutants such as PM2.5 by approximately 70%.
The analysis includes six scenarios with differing degrees of transport electrification (25% or 75% replacement of internal combustion engine vehicles with electric vehicles) and different energy generation sources to charge them. Health outcomes – in terms of PM2.5 disease incidence rates – depend upon specific policies implemented and the EV-charging energy source chosen, emphasizing the need to seek low or zero emission power sources in order to maximize health benefits from transport electrification.
One key finding was that increased electric vehicle penetration significantly reduces the costs associated with meeting 2 degree C climate stabilization targets, suggesting that CO2 reduction doesn’t need to come at the expense of economic development and growth. Further analysis demonstrated positive economic implications from electrifying vehicles under the Sustainable Shared Socioeconomic Pathway 1 (SSP1) scenario which shows characteristics of sustainable future with reduced resource consumption and fossil fuel dependency.
These results offer policymakers a better understanding of the climate benefits associated with transport electrification, helping them assess which options best match their mitigation goals. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that health benefits from electric vehicle adoption do not depend on an energy sector overhaul or associated energy policies, contrary to previous research which suggested such dependence in CO2 reduction benefits from adoption of EVs.
Zero Emission Vehicles
Zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) are electric vehicles which emit no tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases or other pollutants when being operated, such as carbon monoxide or other air pollution. Examples include battery electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles.
Transport emissions contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and are projected to increase due to growing mobility needs and economic development. Adopting carbon-free road transport technology such as electric vehicles (EVs) may significantly lower GHG emissions and thus help curb climate change to the desired levels.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are powered by batteries connected to external electricity sources such as the grid. While EVs themselves produce no direct emissions, electricity production and transmission do contribute to air pollution through well-to-wheel emissions (or “fuel-to-wheel emissions”, and this can be reduced significantly through decarbonising power generation industries.
Attaining widespread deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) is much more expeditious and cost-effective than imposing an intensive carbon price on traditional petrol and diesel vehicles, since GHG emission reduction can occur almost instantly by rapidly spreading EVs on the market without disrupting GDP or welfare growth.
California recognizes the necessity of an accessible and affordable charging infrastructure to encourage greater adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). To help meet this goal, they have devised a plan to build out a network of public and private charging stations throughout California by 2023.
The strategy includes efforts to encourage more residents and businesses to install chargers at home or workplace. Furthermore, it includes creating a fund to promote sustainable mobility solutions as well as undertaking public awareness campaigns.
Montgomery County is committed to reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions through policies and strategies that increase the share of low-carbon transportation options available within our communities. This includes expanding access to electric vehicles (EVs) through various programs, offering financing solutions and charging infrastructure financing, as well as developing a public education campaign about their benefits.
Alternative Fuels
Transportation industries account for 20% of emissions worldwide, so businesses looking to lower their carbon footprint naturally want to find ways to decrease it. One option would be using alternative fuels – however with so many types available on the market it’s essential that fleet managers understand which one are right for their fleet and its advantages and disadvantages.
Alternative fuels commonly considered to reduce transportation emissions include biodiesel, ethanol, natural gas, hydrogen and electricity from renewable sources. Each option offers its own set of advantages and benefits while working toward decreasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
These alternative fuels can power both light and heavy vehicles, with many currently available for commercial truck use. Their advantages include being renewable resources with lower environmental impacts than fossil fuels while offering improved economics compared to their fossil counterparts.
Alternative fuels can serve as an effective replacement for traditional fuels when combined with energy efficiency and vehicle electrification technologies. Such solutions can significantly decrease carbon emissions while decreasing reliance on imported oil imports.
Reduce consumption is another essential strategy in combatting climate change, whether that means less energy use, clothing purchases or food. Our lifestyle decisions have a direct effect on the environment.
While changing lifestyle habits is difficult for individuals, communities and nations can implement policies to promote sustainable consumption – including energy efficiency initiatives, switching to renewable power and encouraging public transit usage.
Policymakers are exploring methods of restricting the release of heat-trapping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through “sinks”, such as oceans and forests. This strategy could help maintain Earth’s equilibrium temperature while protecting ecosystems.
As mitigation strategies are implemented, other climate change solutions are in development. These include new technology that captures carbon from the air and increasing reforestation efforts as a means to offsetting some emissions from burning fossil fuels. It’s also hoped that in time we will have technologies available for recycling carbon from the atmosphere into products like concrete, asphalt and road building – recycling thus helping keep CO2 out of our environment altogether.
