TRANSPORT

between 1990 and 2017, emissions from UK surface transport have increased in absolute terms. allowing for growth in the number of households, however, the average per household emissions fell from 2952 to 2376 kg CO2e. private cars were responsible for the majority of these emissions; in 1990, the UK had travelled a collective 588 billion kilometres by car, which had risen to 670 billion kilometres by 2017. improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency have prevented emissions from growing at the same rate, but internal combustion engines continue to dominate the vehicle fleet.

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achieving net zero will require significant changes to how we move around, involving both comprehensive decarbonisation of cars and vans and a rethinking of how we get around in the first place.

• reducing overall distance travelled would mean less pressure for new transport infrastructure, thus reducing indirect emissions from extraction and processing of raw materials. this could be achieved through more flexible working patterns, allowing people to work from home or closer to home in shared working spaces, with greater use of virtual rather than physical meetings. increased urbanisation of the UK population would also support this transition.

• shifting to more sustainable modes of transport is a cost-effective alternative to private car ownership, depending on location. a more active lifestyle, relying more on walking and cycling, would also provide personal health benefits. a more efficient and effective public transport system would ease the switch away from private car use.

• using vehicles more efficiently would also reduce emissions. increasing the average occupancy rate of cars, e.g. through carpooling, would reduce the number of individual vehicle journeys as well as reducing congestion.