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, 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

  • Nearly half of vehicles produced annually by 2017 will have fleet management systems
    March 22, 2012
    Vehicle OEMs have traditionally focused on their core competency of vehicle usage and vehicle analysis, rather than transport operation. This has placed them at a disadvantage to independent aftermarket telematics vendors, whose core competence is in transport operation. OEMs have typically limited client contact after selling the vehicle. But this is expected to change once OEMs gradually start offering fleet management systems (FMS) as a standard in their models.
  • Digital twins help city space race
    October 26, 2022
    As the world becomes more urbanised, there is a need to monitor the likely effects this will have on the way we live, says Jeroen Borst of TNO, the Dutch organisation for applied scientific research
  • Trafficware: Digitised transport tech ‘is the new asphalt’
    April 16, 2019

    Trafficware provides the tech to manage intersections all over the world. Colin Sowman asks CEO Jon Newhard about the ‘questions behind the questions’

    Last year, Trafficware CEO Jon Newhard negotiated the company’s acquisition by Cubic Corporation and now serves as general manager of Trafficware within Cubic’s Transportation Systems business unit.

  • US transportation 'needs political leadership'
    November 9, 2012
    Long-time industry leader John Worthington reflects on where transportation in the US is heading – and where it should be going. Interview with Jason Barnes. The US’s new transportation bill reflects much of what is wrong in the sector in general and in ITS in particular, according to John Worthington. While a decision is welcome, he says, it does little more than provide certainty of funding for anything other than day-to-day operations. Worthington, former Chairman and CEO of TransCore, is back in the ITS