Publicação
Public Transport Infrastructures Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Case Studies in the Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto
| Resumo: | Car traffic significantly impacts the environment, particularly through greenhouse gases emissions, and human health, requiring immediate action. We must develop strategies to re- duce individual road transport and increase public transport users, despite difficulties such as large investments, commuter behaviour or urban planning constraints. We need to fulfil envi- ronmental agreements such as the European Green Deal. This dissertation evaluates the role of investments in reducing emissions from cars. It assessed a total of ten Environmental Impact Assessment reports (EIAR) from public transport mobility projects in Lisbon and Porto's metropolitan areas over the period of 2000 and 2023. From all assessed projects eight were extensions of already existing projects, while two of them are completely new ones gathering a total investment of more than two billion euros. An assessment of the total emission savings forecasted by the studies only sum up to around fifty thousand tons of CO2 per year, which corresponds to 0.29% of the emissions com-ing from the transport sector, reducing 0.70% and 0.37% locally in Lisbon and Porto respectively. A comparison between up-to-date occupancy and forecasted used in selected metro lines in Lisbon, show that the rate is still below or well below the forecasted numbers. The proposed solutions focused mainly in three main dimensions: municipalities, companies and private commuters. Although actions such as an improved performance of the transport systems or enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure are crucial, we must shift commuter behaviour to avoid car use through limited availability of car parking spaces, com-pany-based measures like teleworking, free public transport passes offer, or workplace shuttles. These findings underscore the urgent need to reverse these outcomes and make public transport a more attractive alternative to private car use. |
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| Autores principais: | Franquinho, Filipe Miguel Paula |
| Assunto: | Greenhouse emissions reduction Public transport Road transport Environmental Impact Assessment Metropolitan Areas of Lisbon and Porto |
| Ano: | 2024 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Nova de Lisboa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional da UNL |
| Resumo: | Car traffic significantly impacts the environment, particularly through greenhouse gases emissions, and human health, requiring immediate action. We must develop strategies to re- duce individual road transport and increase public transport users, despite difficulties such as large investments, commuter behaviour or urban planning constraints. We need to fulfil envi- ronmental agreements such as the European Green Deal. This dissertation evaluates the role of investments in reducing emissions from cars. It assessed a total of ten Environmental Impact Assessment reports (EIAR) from public transport mobility projects in Lisbon and Porto's metropolitan areas over the period of 2000 and 2023. From all assessed projects eight were extensions of already existing projects, while two of them are completely new ones gathering a total investment of more than two billion euros. An assessment of the total emission savings forecasted by the studies only sum up to around fifty thousand tons of CO2 per year, which corresponds to 0.29% of the emissions com-ing from the transport sector, reducing 0.70% and 0.37% locally in Lisbon and Porto respectively. A comparison between up-to-date occupancy and forecasted used in selected metro lines in Lisbon, show that the rate is still below or well below the forecasted numbers. The proposed solutions focused mainly in three main dimensions: municipalities, companies and private commuters. Although actions such as an improved performance of the transport systems or enhancing pedestrian and cycling infrastructure are crucial, we must shift commuter behaviour to avoid car use through limited availability of car parking spaces, com-pany-based measures like teleworking, free public transport passes offer, or workplace shuttles. These findings underscore the urgent need to reverse these outcomes and make public transport a more attractive alternative to private car use. |
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