The carbon footprint of human activity has never been more evident, especially when it comes to travel.
New research by scientists at the University of Leeds has shed light on the often overlooked emissions from long-distance travel. The research offers a new perspective on the scale of travel’s contribution to the current climate crisis.
“The transport sector accounts for 30% of global energy consumption and 37% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Despite its significant share of national emissions, the transport sector is one of the most difficult to decarbonize,” the study authors write.
“For example, between 1990 and 2019, emissions from other end-use sectors in the UK were reduced by 44%, while those from the transport sector were reduced by less than 5%, meaning that the transport sector has been left with an increasingly large share of emissions over time.”
The carbon consequences of long-distance travel
The Leeds study sheds light on the environmental impact of different modes of travel, particularly in the UK. According to the researchers, even short-distance travel contributes significantly to the global carbon footprint.
For UK residents, journeys of more than 50 miles one way – although accounting for less than 3% of all journeys – are responsible for 70% of all travel-related carbon emissions.
The impact is even more pronounced when it comes to international travel. Although it only represents 0.4% of total travel, international travel is responsible for 55% of emissions.
Increase in long-distance travel
Over the past 25 years, travel habits have changed. There has been a slight decline in domestic car travel. However, this decline has been overshadowed by a substantial increase in international air travel, mainly for leisure and family visits.
“International air travel for leisure and social purposes has become a crucial segment due to its significant share in terms of mileage and carbon footprint, as well as its continued growth over the last two decades relative to other purposes and modes of transportation,” the researchers wrote.
“Post-COVID-19 international travel statistics also show that both of these segments are still thriving.”
The findings highlight the disproportionate environmental impact of long-distance and international travel, underscoring the need for more sustainable travel options and practices to mitigate the growing carbon footprint of global mobility.
A New Perspective on Long Distance Travel
The study reiterated the need for a change in strategy to combat the climate impacts of travel.
Dr Zia Wadud is the study’s principal investigator at the Institute for Transport Studies and the School of Chemical and Process Engineering.
“The magnitude of the impact of long-distance travel is indeed very significant. The fact that just under 3% of our trips are responsible for around 60% of the kilometres travelled and 70% of the emissions shows how important long-distance travel is in the fight against climate change,” Dr Wadud stressed.
Potential changes to reduce carbon emissions
According to the study, if all car trips of less than 13 kilometres were replaced by trips on foot or by bicycle, carbon emissions would be reduced by 9.3%.
This change would, however, require changing about 55% of all trips, as most trips are local and rely on cars.
The researchers created a new metric, emissions reduction sensitivity, which was applied to assess the types of travel that could be modified to maximize carbon emission reductions from passenger travel.
The path to a sustainable future
Dr Muhammad Adeel, co-author from the University of the West of England, expressed concern that the problem needed urgent attention.
“While efforts to shift local travel to more sustainable modes of transport are really positive, by omitting aviation emissions from national statistics – as is currently the case in almost all countries – we are missing the whole picture and ignoring a large part of the problem,” said Dr Adeel.
This study is a wake-up call for everyone – from policy makers to the general public – to rethink the carbon impact of their travel, prioritise long-distance travel, particularly flights, and achieve the greatest reductions.
She stresses that the fight against climate change must not only affect local travel and commuting, but also long-distance travel, including international flights.
The path to a sustainable future is not easy, but every step we take to reduce our carbon footprint counts.
The study is published in the journal Natural energy.
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