Which Mode of Transport Is the Most Polluting?

Transportation accounts for almost a quarter of the world's energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. As shown by an analysis published by the Visual Capitalist website, cruise ship travel, domestic (short-haul) flights and journeys by combustion-powered car are the most carbon-intensive modes of transport, i.e. in terms of grams of CO2 equivalent emitted per passenger per kilometer. At the other end of the scale, trains are among the means of transport with the lowest greenhouse gas emissions per passenger and distance traveled.

It's important to note that the data presented in the graph below can vary from country to country, depending on the national energy mix, technologies and transport network. For example, many experts agree that electric cars, over a full lifetime, have a lower carbon footprint than combustion engine vehicles. However, electric vehicles are recharged using power from the grid, which is more or less fossil-fuel powered depending on the country. Consequently, emissions from electric cars depend above all on how the countries in which they are used generate their electricity.

Written by: Tristan Gaudiaut

Translated by: Anna Fleck