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The climate change mitigation effects of daily active travel in cities
Brand, Christian Dons, Evi Anaya-Boig, Esther Avila-Palencia, Ione Clark, Anna de Nazelle, Audrey Gascon, Mireia Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin Gerike, Regine Götschi, Thomas
Brand, Christian
Dons, Evi
Anaya-Boig, Esther
Avila-Palencia, Ione
Clark, Anna
de Nazelle, Audrey
Gascon, Mireia
Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin
Gerike, Regine
Götschi, Thomas
Author
Brand, Christian
Dons, Evi
Anaya-Boig, Esther
Avila-Palencia, Ione
Clark, Anna
de Nazelle, Audrey
Gascon, Mireia
Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin
Gerike, Regine
Götschi, Thomas
Iacorossi, Francesco
Kahlmeier, Sonja
Laeremans, Michelle
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Pablo Orjuela, Juan
Racioppi, Francesca
Raser, Elisabeth
Rojas-Rueda, David
Standaert, Arnout
Stigell, Erik
Sulikova, Simona
Wegener, Sandra
Int Panis, Luc
Dons, Evi
Anaya-Boig, Esther
Avila-Palencia, Ione
Clark, Anna
de Nazelle, Audrey
Gascon, Mireia
Gaupp-Berghausen, Mailin
Gerike, Regine
Götschi, Thomas
Iacorossi, Francesco
Kahlmeier, Sonja
Laeremans, Michelle
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Pablo Orjuela, Juan
Racioppi, Francesca
Raser, Elisabeth
Rojas-Rueda, David
Standaert, Arnout
Stigell, Erik
Sulikova, Simona
Wegener, Sandra
Int Panis, Luc
Abstract
Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of personal transport. Yet its net effects on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived life cycle CO2 emissions across modes and purposes. Daily mobility-related life cycle CO2 emissions were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%. Cyclists had 84% lower life cycle CO2 emissions than non-cyclists. Life cycle CO2 emissions decreased by −14% per additional cycling trip and decreased by −62% for each avoided car trip. An average person who ‘shifted travel modes’ from car to bike decreased life cycle CO2 emissions by 3.2 kgCO2/day. Promoting active travel should be a cornerstone of strategies to meet net zero carbon targets, particularly in urban areas, while also improving public health and quality of urban life.
Keywords
CO2 emissions, active mobility, walking, cycling, climate change mitigation, sustainable urban transport
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Transportation Research Part D
Book
Volume
93
Issue
Page Range
1-18
Article Number
Article 102764
ACU Department
Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open