Transportation and the Environment

This graph shows that transportation is responsible for 171 million tons of CO2e and as such the largest producer of these emissions, followed by the oil and gas industry and the electricity-generating industry. Nearly half of transportation’s emissions, or 79 million tonnes of CO2e come from passenger road transportation.

This graph shows that transportation and agriculture have the two highest greenhouse gas emission intensity, although they have both declined between 2000 and 2008

This graph shows that emissions from transportation rose from 120 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 171 million tonnes in 2008 and should be at 180 million tonnes by 2020.

This graph shows that rail transportation has the highest share of freight tonne-kilometres ; however, between 2000 and 2008, road transportation has seen the biggest increase in modal share, at the expense of all other modes.

This graph shows that air pollution emissions in the transportation sector has been trending downwards for all pollutants between 1990 and 2008, with reductions of 25% top 50%. Volatile organic compounds registered the greatest decrease in emissions.

This graph breaks down air pollution emissions by type of emissions and mode. Carbon oxide, the pollutant for which transportation is most responsible is produced mainly by light and off-road vehicles.

This graph shows that emissions from air transportation rose from 6 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 9 million tonnes in 2008 and should be at 11 million tonnes by 2020.

This graph shows the evolution of different air pollutants produced by the air transportation industry. Between 1990 and 2008, sulfur oxide, nitrous oxide and organic volatile compounds all grew between 30% and 50% while particulate matters and carbon oxide experienced a 10% decline.

This graph shows that emissions from marine transportation rose from 5 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 6 million tonnes in 2008 and should be at 7 million tonnes by 2020.

This graph shows the evolution of different air pollutants produced by the marine transportation industry. Between 1990 and 2000, all pollutant emissions were significantly lower, however they have been on the rise since then and remain generally 15% below their 1990 level. Sulfur oxide emissions were reduced by over 25% between 1990 and 2008.

This graph shows that emissions from freight-related rail transportation rose from 6.6 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 6.8 million tonnes in 2008. It is expected to fall-off until 2012 and then return to its 2008 level by 2020.

This graph shows that emissions from passenger-related rail transportation dropped from 400,000 tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 200,000 million tonnes in 2008, a level it will maintain until 2020.

This graph shows the evolution of different air pollutants produced by the rail transportation industry. It was stable between 1990 and 2003. Since then, sulfur oxide has dropped by 60% while organic volatile compounds and particulate matters have risen between 30% and 50%.

This graph shows that emissions from light vehicles rose from 70 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 85 million tonnes in 2008. It will rise further to 89 million tonnes in 2020 without new environmental regulations or drop to 80- million tonnes if regulations are enacted.

This graph shows the evolution of different air pollutants produced by light vehicles. They have generally decreased by 60% between 1990 and 2008, except for sulfur oxide which first rose about 30% before declining to only 10% of its 1990 levels.

This graph shows that emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles rose from 27 million tonnes of CO2e in 1990 to 55 million tonnes in 2008 and should be at 65 million tonnes by 2020.

This graph shows the evolution of different air pollutants produced by medium and heavy-duty vehicles. They have generally decreased by 70% to 80% between 1990 and 2008, except for sulfur oxide which has been almost completely eliminated since 2006.