Analysis of transport emissions from a global perspective

This article analyses the evolution of the planet's global emissions from 1990-2020, verifying that transport is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise. Based on the sources surveyed, the transport sector was responsible for approximately 20% of total emissions worldwide in 2020. Within this sector, road transport of people and goods is the main emitter since it is responsible for 79% of the total emissions of the sector. Most (54%) come from passenger vehicles (passenger cars, two and 3-wheelers and buses), and the remaining 25% come from trucks transporting goods. Transporting people and goods by rail only adds an additional 1%. The remaining 20% is divided between aviation, which accounts for approximately 9% of total emissions, and maritime transport, which contributes 11%. The European Union has managed to reduce total emissions from all sectors (including those from the energy industry), except those from the transport sector, which grew by 8% from 1990-2020. This highlights the difficulty of reducing emissions in this sector. From a global perspective, the population increases forecast for future decades, mainly in Asia and Africa, will cause a greater demand for transport, both for people and goods, which will make it difficult to reduce emissions in this sector, even if the use of electric vehicles, since it will be complicated for these vehicles to be charged with electricity generated with 100% renewable energy sources.

MENA NIETO Angel;  GOMEZ VILCHEZ Jonatan;  FONTARAS Georgios; 

2023-03-16

FEDERACION ASOCIACIONES INGENIEROS INDUSTRIALES ESPANA

JRC130875

0012-7361 (online),   

https://www.revistadyna.com/search/analysis-of-transport-emissions-from-a-global-perspective,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC130875,   

10.6036/10718 (online),