Why Transport MattersClimate Change
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that the severe adverse impacts of climate change can only be avoided by a reduction of CO2 gases in the range of 50-60 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. However, by 2030 carbon dioxide emissions from transportation are projected to rise by 60 percent. The majority of this CO2 increase will be in developing regions like China, India, and Southeast Asia.
While more energy efficient vehicles and cleaner fuels will play a role in reducing the negative effects of climate change, they will not provide enough of a decrease to reach international targets. Therefore, more fundamental transformations in the modes of transportation will be essential to decrease the severity of the climate change. ITDP works at all scales – metropolitan, national, and international – to initiate and support action toward more sustainable transportation, urban planning and design, and policy.
- Reducing driving by 15 miles per week can save 900 pounds in CO2 per year.
- Households near public transportation drive an average of 4,400 fewer miles annually compared to those with no access to public transportation.
- Use by a solo commuter switching his/her commute from a private vehicle can reduce CO2 emission by 20 pounds per day.
- Public Transit is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons annually, equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households.
