How 120 of the world’s major cities could cut transport CO2 by 22%

(CarbonBrief, 6 Nov 2023) Cities are an often overlooked as being a major contributor to climate change. Yet their diversity has made it hard to assess how far they can cut their emissions.

Moreover, efforts to tackle their emissions, such as those from urban transport, often come with trade-offs in terms of costs and co-benefits from cleaner air or health.

In our new study, published in Nature Sustainability, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of transport policies in 120 cities, spanning five continents.

We found that the cities could cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by a combined 22%, without cutting residents’ quality of life measured via an aggregate, monetised metric.

In individual cities, we found that a combination of policies, such as fuel taxes, public transport improvement and urban planning, could reduce transport CO2 by up to 31%.

Cities in climate policies

Cities bear a major responsibility for climate change, as they account for 70% of global emissions.

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CarbonBrief, 6 Nov 2023: How 120 of the world’s major cities could cut transport CO2 by 22%