The Role of Driving in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Oil Consumption

This report finds that the United States cannot rely on technology alone to meet GHG emissions and oil consumption targets; it must also reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT), which are projected to increase by 40% by 2050 under business-as-usual scenarios. The report advocates for a shift in federal transportation policy toward performance-based funding and increased investment in strategies that provide alternatives to driving to eliminate oil imports by 2030.

• In 2008, transportation accounted for 31 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and 71 percent of oil consumption in the United States.
• To meet oil consumption and GHG emissions targets, the United States requires both significant vehicle technology improvements and a reduction in per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT). This is necessary because business as usual projections for 2050 anticipate a 40 percent increase in per capita VMT compared to 2010 levels. Achieving these technology and VMT reductions would eliminate the need for the United States to import oil by 2030.
• There is a general lack of evaluation regarding the impact of existing federal transportation programs on VMT, oil use, or GHG emissions, although evidence exists that strategies such as parking management, pricing, and public transit do reduce these metrics.
• The report recommends that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Congress modify federal policy to prioritize VMT, GHG emissions, and oil consumption reductions. Specific recommendations for the DOT include providing technical support for standardized evaluation, simplifying access to project spending databases, and encouraging states and regions to use funding flexibility for these goals. Recommendations for Congressional reauthorization of surface transportation funding include establishing national goals, implementing performance-based funding and planning, and increasing direct funding for programs that achieve these reductions.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). The Role of Driving in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Oil Consumption. https://www.wri.org/role-driving-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-oil-consumption

Chicago

World Resources Institute. The Role of Driving in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Oil Consumption. n.d. https://www.wri.org/role-driving-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-oil-consumption.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=The Role of Driving in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Oil Consumption |url=https://www.wri.org/role-driving-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-oil-consumption |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendrole, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{The Role of Driving in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Oil Consumption}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/role-driving-reducing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-oil-consumption}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }