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M-1 Transport

The transport sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, responsible for approximately 16% of global CO₂-eq emissions. This sector encompasses all modes of transportation, including road, rail, maritime, and aviation, as well as the infrastructure supporting these systems. It addresses emissions from both passenger and freight transport, covering a wide range of vehicles, from personal cars and trucks to commercial ships and airplanes.

As the sector continues to grow, particularly in developing regions, the challenge of mitigating its impact becomes increasingly urgent. Effective mitigation strategies within the transport sector include decarbonising vehicles, transitioning to low-carbon fuels, shifting to less carbon-intensive modes of transport, and improving overall system efficiency.

Technological advancements, coupled with policy interventions and behavioural changes, offer substantial potential to reduce emissions. Electrification of road vehicles, particularly passenger cars and light-duty trucks, represents a critical pathway, complemented by the integration of renewable energy into the transport energy mix. Additionally, the optimisation of logistics and the promotion of public and active transport modes can significantly contribute to emissions reduction. However, deploying these solutions requires consideration of regional disparities, economic viability, and the need for supportive infrastructure and regulatory frameworks to achieve substantial, long-term mitigation outcomes across all transport modes.

Mitigation Potential

TBD.

Mitigation Options

Chapter 10 (IPCC AR6 WG3 2022)1 discusses a number of mitigation options for the transport sector which are indexed in the table below. A small number of mitigations options only covered in Chapter 8 of the AR5 report (IPCC AR5 WG3 2014)2 are also included here for completeness.

For indexing this sector we have chosen to use the three major sub-sectors covered in AR6:

M-1A - Land-based Transport

M-1B - Aviation

M-1C - Shipping

Emissions

We estimate that the transport sector was accountable for 15.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 (7,499 MtCO₂-eq, see GHG Emissions).

See E-1A3 - Transport for a summary of IPCC guidelines for emission reporting.

  1. IPCC AR6 WG3. 2022. Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Priyadarshi R. Shukla, Jim Skea, Raphael Slade, Alaa Al Khourdajie, Renée van Diemen, David McCollum, Minal Pathak, et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157926. ↩

  2. IPCC AR5 WG3. 2014. Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change: Working Group III Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Edited by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and Ottmar Edenhofer. Cambridge University Press. ↩

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