Is Sustainable Transport Policy Sustainable?

KU Leuven Discussion Paper Series DPS14.17

21 Pages Posted: 14 Oct 2014

See all articles by Jonas Eliasson

Jonas Eliasson

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) - Center for Transport Studies

Stef Proost

KU Leuven - Department of Economics

Date Written: April 2014

Abstract

The paper challenges part of the sustainable transport literature. Sustainable transport plans often focus on reducing carbon emissions in a specific city, region or country, and this neglects two handicaps of strong unilateral action. The first is that climate is a global commons problem, so a strong binding international climate agreement is unlikely. The second is that a unilateral reduction of oil consumption may be partially, or even completely, offset by market responses – in some circumstances, cumulative emissions may even come earlier (the “green paradox”). When a coalition of the willing reduces oil use in the transport sector, this may delay rather than reduce total emissions. This requires rethinking climate policies for the transport sector: What policies remain cost effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Keywords: climate policy, sustainable transport, oil consumption, international negotiation

Suggested Citation

Eliasson, Jonas and Proost, Stef V., Is Sustainable Transport Policy Sustainable? (April 2014). KU Leuven Discussion Paper Series DPS14.17, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2509216 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2509216

Jonas Eliasson (Contact Author)

Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) - Center for Transport Studies ( email )

Lindstedtsvägen 30-100 44
Stockholm, SE-100 44
Sweden

Stef V. Proost

KU Leuven - Department of Economics ( email )

Leuven, B-3000
Belgium
016 32 66 35 (Phone)
016 32 67 96 (Fax)

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