Decarbonization Scenarios for Transport and the Role of Urban Mobility

Abstract To bring transport onto a decarbonization pathway, significant action is required on policies and investments. This includes decarbonization of fuels, more efficient vehicles, urban design, and changes in travel patterns and mode shares. This chapter shows that growth in demand for mobility outpaces efficiency gains, which shows that technological progress will not deliver the transformative change that is needed for the sector and highlights the need for policy intervention. The analysis carried out in this chapter builds on a range of assessments of the climate change mitigation potential of the sector and applies their data in different quantitative scenarios that aim to provide a perspective on local and international decarbonization scenarios. It shows that a decarbonization pathway for transport requires a policy approach that combines compact and mixed-use city design, high-capacity public transport system, efficient logistics solutions, fuel efficiency, and fuel switch options, and emphasizes that isolated measures will fall short of achieving the climate change mitigation targets and Sustainable Development Goals.