Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States
Abstract Decarbonizing the United States transportation sector has emerged as a critical objective to combat climate change due to its high greenhouse gas emissions, largely from light-duty vehicles. This study assesses the breakdown of life cycle emissions of various transportation options under av...
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Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01924-4 |
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| author | Noah Horesh Jason C. Quinn |
| author_facet | Noah Horesh Jason C. Quinn |
| author_sort | Noah Horesh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Decarbonizing the United States transportation sector has emerged as a critical objective to combat climate change due to its high greenhouse gas emissions, largely from light-duty vehicles. This study assesses the breakdown of life cycle emissions of various transportation options under average and maximum ridership scenarios and quantifies emissions reductions through mode shifts and technology advancements. Electrified transportation achieves half the greenhouse gas emissions of petroleum-fueled options in 2023, with projections indicating a reduction to one-fifth by 2050. Battery systems contribute up to one-fifth of lifetime emissions of electric vehicles and buses as of 2023, and this share is estimated to increase to half by 2050 as electricity emissions are greatly reduced with the decarbonization of electricity. The study concludes that shifting away from light-duty vehicles can achieve near-term greenhouse gas reductions, but these reductions are minimal in the long term when combined with transportation electrification powered by decarbonized electricity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ddac22625679423cb94d1433f62aa92b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-ddac22625679423cb94d1433f62aa92b2024-12-22T12:49:53ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-12-015111110.1038/s43247-024-01924-4Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United StatesNoah Horesh0Jason C. Quinn1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State UniversityDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State UniversityAbstract Decarbonizing the United States transportation sector has emerged as a critical objective to combat climate change due to its high greenhouse gas emissions, largely from light-duty vehicles. This study assesses the breakdown of life cycle emissions of various transportation options under average and maximum ridership scenarios and quantifies emissions reductions through mode shifts and technology advancements. Electrified transportation achieves half the greenhouse gas emissions of petroleum-fueled options in 2023, with projections indicating a reduction to one-fifth by 2050. Battery systems contribute up to one-fifth of lifetime emissions of electric vehicles and buses as of 2023, and this share is estimated to increase to half by 2050 as electricity emissions are greatly reduced with the decarbonization of electricity. The study concludes that shifting away from light-duty vehicles can achieve near-term greenhouse gas reductions, but these reductions are minimal in the long term when combined with transportation electrification powered by decarbonized electricity.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01924-4 |
| spellingShingle | Noah Horesh Jason C. Quinn Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States |
| title_full | Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States |
| title_fullStr | Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States |
| title_short | Fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the United States |
| title_sort | fuel shifts reduce most of the greenhouse gas emissions from transportation in the united states |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01924-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT noahhoresh fuelshiftsreducemostofthegreenhousegasemissionsfromtransportationintheunitedstates AT jasoncquinn fuelshiftsreducemostofthegreenhousegasemissionsfromtransportationintheunitedstates |