Sustainability of the transport sector during the last 20 years: evidences from a panel of 35 countries

Eva, Mihail and Mihai, Florin-Constantin and Munteanu, Alina-Violeta (2019): Sustainability of the transport sector during the last 20 years: evidences from a panel of 35 countries. Published in: 19th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference on Ecology, Economics, Education and Legislation SGEM 2019, Conference Proceedings , Vol. 19, No. 5.1 (July 2019): pp. 687-694.

Abstract

Between 1990 and 2015, the annual global amount of CO 2 emission generated by transport has increased by 68%, from around 4.6 GtCO 2 to around 7.7 GtCO2. Technological advances towards eco friendly vehicles and policy incentives promoting environmental friendly modes of transport have thus been offset by economic growth and increasing mobility. This study questions the relationship between economic growth and sustainability performance of transport sector. It adds to the literature new insights concerning recent trends in the relationship between gross domestic product and various aspects of transport sustainability such as carbon footprint, carbon intensity and transport safety. A particular attention is given to discussing the emerging issues of “carbon inequality” and the role of political entities that contribute most to global CO2 emissions, such China, USA and the EU. Finally, this study adds to the literature a composite index of transport sustainability performance and explores between country inequalities in terms of sustainability performance.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: CO 2 emissions, environmental impact, OECD countries, carbon footprint, carbon inequality, road fatalities.
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O13 - Agriculture ; Natural Resources ; Energy ; Environment ; Other Primary Products; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O18 - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis ; Housing ; Infrastructure; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O19 - International Linkages to Development ; Role of International Organizations; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O44 - Environment and Growth; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O4 - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity > O47 - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth ; Aggregate Productivity ; Cross-Country Output Convergence; P - Economic Systems > P4 - Other Economic Systems > P48 - Political Economy ; Legal Institutions ; Property Rights ; Natural Resources ; Energy ; Environment ; Regional Studies; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q53 - Air Pollution ; Water Pollution ; Noise ; Hazardous Waste ; Solid Waste ; Recycling; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q56 - Environment and Development ; Environment and Trade ; Sustainability ; Environmental Accounts and Accounting ; Environmental Equity ; Population Growth; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R4 - Transportation Economics > R40 - General; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R4 - Transportation Economics > R41 - Transportation: Demand, Supply, and Congestion ; Travel Time ; Safety and Accidents ; Transportation Noise

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