The transportation sector enables the mobility of people and the trade of goods, which drives economic development. However, it also accounts for a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions and almost 30% of all energy consumption globally. Besides, vehicles and infrastructure require substantial material inputs, some of which contribute to industrial GHG (e.g., steel and aluminum), and some face potential supply risks. Transport demand is expected to rise by 79% for passengers and roughly double for freight by 2050 due to population growth, rapid urbanization, and increasing economic activity. Decarbonizing transportation is important and urgent in pursuing the Paris Agreement target. Although the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy is underway, carbon emissions will not fall fast enough in the coming years to reach the international climate objectives.
The challenge we are facing now is how to meet growing transport demand while reducing carbon dioxide emissions and resource consumption. Given regional heterogeneity, solutions will vary for transportation modes, economic levels, and geographical environments. Well-constructed scenario models can offer policymakers critical guidance for implementing low-carbon transport strategies, helping address climate change and resource scarcity.
In this session, we convene three experts in the field of transportation carbon emissions to share their recent research findings. After a 20-minute speaker input, we open the floor to discuss decoupling transportation activities from carbon emissions and resource demands.
Time:
Friday, 24 January, 10:30-12:00 CET // 18:30-20:00 JST
Speakers:
Speaker 1: Jiajia Li, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. ‘‘Understanding the Relationship Between Building and Transportation Stocks’’
Speaker 2: Huimei Li, University of Freiburg. ‘‘Provincial disparities in resources and emission savings from material efficiency in Chinese passenger vehicles’’
Speaker 3: Zhengyang Zhang, Tohoku University. "Supply Risks of Critical Minerals Utilized in Low-Carbon Technologies"
Moderator: Huimei Li, Uni Freiburg, Germany
Register here:
https://uni-freiburg.zoom-x.de/meeting/register/u50qce-spzkuEtJCcBIyiP-fRhjU02cZ8lXm