Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

This fact sheet describes a joint project by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Climate Change and Development Consultants (CC&D), and the Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP) to analyze how the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, with a specific focus on Chile.

• The transportation sector accounts for approximately 25 per cent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and in Chile, it is the second largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without mitigation, CO2 emissions from transportation in Chile are projected to nearly double by 2020.
• While the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a primary entry point for developing countries under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions, the transportation sector has seen less attention than others due to project challenges. Specifically, existing CDM methodologies and projects have not addressed the issue of transportation demand.
• The project is utilizing three case studies to explore GHG reduction: bicycle infrastructure (focusing on new lanes and shifting transportation modes), bus technology switching in Santiago (such as moving from diesel to hybrid electric under the Transantiago plan), and location efficiency (using land development strategies to reduce travel demand through transit-oriented development).
• The project investigates several cross-cutting challenges regarding the application of the CDM to transportation, including the mechanics of project design, whether individual projects can integrate into broader sectoral policies, and how to account for local development goals within the price per tonne of carbon.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_trans_green_brochure.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_trans_green_brochure.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_trans_green_brochure.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentndtransportation, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Transportation and Greenhouse Gas Emissions}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/climate_trans_green_brochure.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }