Our daily journeys have a significant impact on the climate. Whether we’re travelling to work, doing the shopping or going on holiday, our transport choices have a direct impact on our greenhouse gas emissions. We can help reduce our carbon footprint by opting for low-carbon transport.
In 2019, direct GHG emissions from the transport sector amounted to nearly 9 GtCO₂-eq (compared with 5.0 GtCO₂-eq in 1990) and accounted for 23 per cent of global energy-related CO₂ emissions. 70 per cent of direct emissions from the transport sector came from road vehicles, whilst 1 per cent, 11 per cent and 12 per cent came from rail, maritime transport and aviation respectively.
Sources: Chapter 10: Transport
In 2022, transport alone accounted for 30 per cent of the canton’s carbon footprint: in other words, almost a third of emissions came from travel, including car journeys, public transport and air travel.
Travelling to Barcelona from Geneva by train generates 12 times less CO₂ than flying: around 14 kg of CO₂ compared with 163 kg of CO₂ per journey.
You will find further comparisons in this study carried out by the University of Geneva and the City of Geneva: 210617_Rapport_Avions_A4.pdf
Adopting more sustainable mobility means rethinking the ways we travel and questioning the purposes behind them. By making a few changes to our travel habits, we can reduce our impact on the climate whilst benefiting from positive solutions.
Walk or cycle for short journeys. These modes of transport are not only very low-carbon, but they also improve health and reduce urban congestion.
The local public transport or rail network already offers a reliable and flexible alternative to private cars. Check out the options available to you.
Try carpooling, use car-sharing services such as Mobility, and combine your journeys. Fewer cars mean fewer emissions, less noise and more space for cities that are pleasant to live in.
