Urban transport is currently the largest single source of global transport-related carbon emissions, which accounted for 23% of total energy-related emissions in 2010. According to the International Energy Agency, annual global urban transport emissions are expected to more than double by 2025, despite ongoing vehicle technology and fuel-economy improvements. 90% of this growth in urban transport emissions is expected to come from private motorized travel. Without aggressive and sustained mitigation policies, transport emissions could increase at a faster rate than emissions from the other energy end-use sectors, at a rate of 12 Gt GHGe or more per year by 2050.
Mitigating climate change will require extraordinary transitions in transportation and urban development. Policies need to shift dependency from those that favor the polluting car towards those that are concentrated on reliable, convenient, and inclusive low-carbon solutions. For 30 years, the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) has been pioneering proven strategies that effectively mitigate emissions from urban transportation systems worldwide. Addressing climate change in the long term will mean breaking down the barriers to building low-carbon cities. Through our work in dozens of cities worldwide, ITDP demonstrates that integrated urban mobility designed to bring people, activities, buildings, and public spaces together is an essential solution to mitigate climate change and improve the quality of urban life.
