Transport / commuting

Non-motorised and public means of transport

Objectives

To be aware of the eco footprint of transportation
Familiarise project managers with eco-friendly methods of movement (positive and negative aspects)

Green Value indicator

CO2 savings
Eco-footprint

Explanation

The excessive number of cars coming into a city does have harmful effects on nature and human health. Exhaust gases are damaging air quality and emitting harmful particles, which increase the risk of respiratory diseases and can also negatively affect people’s mental health. Air pollution is particularly dangerous for children, as the developing brain is extremely sensitive and vulnerable to the environment’s negative effects. The number of cars in cities cannot grow indefinitely, because, at some point, space runs out and people and their vehicles will not fit. *One bus can replace a minimum of 30 cars. (Estimates are based on TRACCS database 2013 and the TERM 027 indicator.) In addition to congestion and the increasing lack of space in cities, cars also ruin the cityscape. The more cars flow into city centres, the less room there is for cyclists and pedestrians, and with cars parked in areas, which are linked to sidewalks, the road space, which is meant for cyclists, becomes too narrow and dangerous to ride safely.

We also need to consider the impact of Covid-19 on people’s choice whether to use or not public transport. Early research at the city of Ningbo, China a city of similar population to New York found that once after the city had zero daily Covid cases and experienced zero deaths, public transit use was still decreased by 80% and personal vehicle use rose by 40%. If it is happening there, we can imagine how many people in Europe are also making the similar choice of a personal vehicle over public transport. And if that happens it could counterbalance all previous benefits of people commuting to work.

Transport represents almost a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is the main cause of air pollution in cities (European Commission, 2016). The transport sector has not seen the same gradual decline in emissions as other sectors: emissions only started to decrease in 2007 and still remain higher than in 1990. Within this sector, road transport is by far the biggest emitter accounting for more than 70% of all GHG emissions from transport in 2014 (European Commission, 2016).

Transport and EU’s strategy:
The main elements of the strategy:

Increasing the efficiency of the transport system by making the most of digital technologies, smart pricing and further encouraging the shift to lower emission transport modes
Speeding up the deployment of low-emission alternative energy for transport, such as advanced biofuels, electricity, hydrogen and renewable synthetic fuels and removing obstacles to the electrification of transport
Moving towards zero-emission vehicles. While further improvements to the internal combustion engine will be needed, Europe needs to accelerate the transition towards low- and zero-emission vehicles

Alternative ways of transport:

Electric bikes and networks of segregated cycle lanes.
Cycling, which shares many of the climate benefits of walking, is increasingly a viable alternative to car journeys, too. Some countries have sped ahead in bike transport: in the Netherlands 26% of journeys are made by bike, followed by Denmark on 18% and 10% in Germany (BBC, 2020). All three countries had major policy changes in the 1970s and 1980s that led to a large increase in cycling, and all still continue to invest in cycling infrastructure.
Taking a local bus emits a little over half the greenhouse gases of a single occupancy car journey and also helps to remove congestion from the roads.

PROS/CONS of the action

Pros:

Public transport reduces air pollution
Increased fuel efficiency
Reduced traffic congestion
Saves money
Increases mobility
Frees up time
Public transportation is safer

Cons:

Some public transport systems are far from satisfactory
People are reluctant to use public transport after the pandemic
Long waiting times
Unreliable in many regions
Delays may imply problems at work
Higher chance for infections with diseases
Crowded space at rush hour
Slow Speed when there are no dedicated bus lanes
Bikes can be expensive or easily stolen
Some cities lack proper infrastructure for biking (accidents)
May not be suitable for older people
Weather conditions can affect cycling

Certified

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Link to useful sources

Transport emissions ec.europa.eu

How our daily travel harms the planet www.bbc.com

You can compare the amount of CO2 emissions generated between different types of transportation, and the amount you produce with this calculator: calculator.carbonfootprint.com