Carbon emissions trading in ground transportation: Status quo, policy analysis, and outlook

Abstract

Ground transportation, which includes the road and rail sectors, is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An emissions trading system (ETS) is one of the environmental policies for controlling carbon emissions from fossil fuel combustion during transport activities. To investigate the status of existing ETS interventions on ground transportation emissions, a comprehensive literature review is conducted, including policy evaluation and comparison, scheme optimization and design, and specific transport behavior interventions. The results show that existing upstream policies are insufficient in stringency and effectiveness, while policy implementation for downstream interventions remains limited. To address these shortcomings, this study proposes a downstream ground transportation emissions trading system (GTETS), incorporating the Internet of Things and blockchain technology. As well as road and rail transportation emissions, the system includes the emissions-related activities of individuals and transportation companies, and its Web3-based technologies provide effective and efficient monitoring, reporting, and verification.