Can Transport Deliver GHG Reductions at Scale? An Analysis of Global Transport Initiatives

The analysis finds that seven global transport initiatives could reduce global energy-related emissions by 3.7 percent by 2050. The most significant reductions are linked to mode-shifting to rail or public transport, though these require high effort. While electric vehicle and fuel efficiency targets are ambitious, the paper notes gaps in addressing heavy-duty vehicles and total travel demand, suggesting that better policy linkages and wider geographical coverage are needed to improve effectiveness.

• The seven analyzed global transport initiatives are considered very ambitious and could result in a 3.7 percent decrease in global energy-related emissions by 2050.
• Mode-shifting to rail or public transport offers the highest potential for emissions reduction, up to 2.42 percent, but requires a very high level of effort to implement; however, these actions provide significant cost savings by reducing infrastructure needs and vehicle purchases.
• Specific initiatives for light-duty vehicle fuel efficiency and airplane efficiency show reduction potentials of 0.67 percent and 0.10 percent respectively, relative to their sector size.
• The emissions reduction potential of electric vehicle initiatives is highly dependent on the carbon intensity of the electricity grid, which is influenced by total energy demand across all sectors.
• The analyzed initiatives fail to set targets for critical emission reduction opportunities, specifically the reduction of total travel demand and emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Can Transport Deliver GHG Reductions at Scale? An Analysis of Global Transport Initiatives. https://www.wri.org/research/can-transport-deliver-ghg-reductions-scale-analysis-global-transport-initiatives

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Can Transport Deliver GHG Reductions at Scale? An Analysis of Global Transport Initiatives. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/can-transport-deliver-ghg-reductions-scale-analysis-global-transport-initiatives.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Can Transport Deliver GHG Reductions at Scale? An Analysis of Global Transport Initiatives |url=https://www.wri.org/research/can-transport-deliver-ghg-reductions-scale-analysis-global-transport-initiatives |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendcan, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Can Transport Deliver GHG Reductions at Scale? An Analysis of Global Transport Initiatives}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/can-transport-deliver-ghg-reductions-scale-analysis-global-transport-initiatives}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }