Transportation Systems and the Environment

Some linkages between transportation systems and the environment, notably the emission of pollutants and energy consumption, can be summarized as follows:

• Network structure influences the spatial distribution of emissions. Centralized networks concentrate the traffic and emissions at specific locations (hubs), but are using less energy. Dispersed networks may be perceived at the local scale as more environmental friendly, but are consuming much more energy.
• Traffic induces the level of emissions and energy consumption since it is related to the utilization level of a transport system.
• Mode choice is related to the nature of emissions. For instance, different transport modes have different energy requirements and levels of efficiency. A car-dependant transport system has different environmental problems than a transport system leaning on public transit.

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