Skip to main content

New US study examines contribution of transport to emissions

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute has published a new report, Transportation emissions in the context of emissions from other economic sectors: 1990-2014, which examines long-term trends in the contribution of transportation to total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, in the context of the other sources of emissions (industry, commercial, residential, and agriculture). Also of interest in this study are the relative contributions of various transportation modes, bo
July 11, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
The 5647 University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute has published a new report, Transportation emissions in the context of emissions from other economic sectors: 1990-2014, which examines long-term trends in the contribution of transportation to total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, in the context of the other sources of emissions (industry, commercial, residential, and agriculture).

Also of interest in this study are the relative contributions of various transportation modes, both to transportation emissions and to total emissions. The period examined was from 1990 through 2014. The raw data came from the US 1999 Environmental Protection Agency.

Main findings of the study include the relative contribution to total emissions of the largest emitter, industry, decreased  during the period examined, while those of the transportation, commercial, residential, and agricultural sectors increased. In addition, the relative contribution of emissions from medium- and heavy-duty trucks to total emissions from all sources increased substantially, while those from passenger cars and light-duty trucks increased only slightly, and those from commercial aircraft stayed about the same.

According to the researchers, Michael Sivak and  Brandon Scvhoettle, there are two main implications of this study. First, because of the major progress in reducing emissions from industry during the period examined, we can expect an increased emphasis on reducing emissions from the other economic sectors, including transportation. Second, because of the large increase in the contribution of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to total emissions, we can expect an increased emphasis on reducing emissions from these classes of vehicles.

Related Content

  • Call for a new vision for ITS in America
    February 6, 2012
    Pete Goldin talks to Dr. Joseph Sussman, Chairman of the ITS Program Advisory Committee, about the state of intelligent transport systems in America
  • University uncovers personal expenditure of American on transportation comparison
    October 3, 2017
    Total transportation expenditures in 2016 corresponded to 15.8% of all personal expenditures, down from 18.9% in 1989. Meanwhile, analogous trends were present for the lowest and highest quintiles of income, according to a new report by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute. The report is based on data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey and performed by the Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
  • New mobility + public transport = sustainability
    February 25, 2020
    Cities can introduce all the clever new mobility solutions they like – but if they are not linked to public transportation they will not be environmentally friendly, according to new research.
  • US fuel economy for light duty vehicles 2022-2025 ‘will reduce consumption and emissions’
    December 16, 2016
    According to researchers at the University of Michigan, the 2022-2025 fuel-economy (CAFE) standards for light-duty vehicles, which were reaffirmed by the EPA on 30 November 2016 in the midterm evaluation of the standards, will substantially reduce future fuel consumption and emissions, even if the future vehicle mix (cars vs light trucks) does not change. However, in addition to these direct benefits, indirect benefits can also be expected via the influence of more stringent standards on the future mix o