How and why we travel – Mobility demand and emissions from passenger transport

Abstract

Due to the need for faster reductions in transport greenhouse-gas emissions, policy makers are increasingly paying attention to the role of reducing mobility demand and shifting towards low carbon transport modes. This paper develops the novel open-source Irish Passenger Transport Emissions and Mobility (IPTEM) model and uses it to calculate passenger transport demand by trip mode, purpose, and distance over the period of 2009 – 2019. The paper quantifies energy consumption and emissions intensities, and for the first time for Ireland, passenger transport occupancy rates. The findings quantify missed targets in walking and cycling uptake rates. In 2019, travel for work purposes contributes the greatest to overall passenger transport demand (30%) followed by shopping (19%) and companion journeys (16%). Journeys under 8 km were responsible for 37% of passenger transport emissions.