False economy What’s in it for me? Understand what makes the

Traditional modes of transportation must 
become more fuel-efficient, and should be 
supplanted by climate-friendly alternatives.
Mobility is an important part of our sense of 
freedom. We want to be able to move around in 
the world, visit loved ones and travel to exotic 
places. Unfortunately, the cars, buses and 
planes we rely on to do so all use traditional 
combustion engines that burn fossil fuels – lots 
of them. The ships and trucks that transport our 
food and products aren’t much greener. To 
decrease CO2 emissions, these vehicles need 
to become more fuel-efficient. New designs, 
technology upgrades, better maintenance and 
monitoring can contribute to reducing their fuel 
use, thereby cutting emissions. 
Currently, planes account for 2.5% of global 
carbon emissions, a number that’s bound to 
grow as air travel becomes increasingly popular 
around the world. To counter this increase in 
flights, Boeing and NASA are already 
collaborating on an aircraft designed to be 50 
percent more fuel-efficient than a regular plane. 
This new aircraft has its engine in the rear and 
finer wings, rendering it lighter and more 
aerodynamic. 
The role played by ships in the climate equation 
is often overlooked, even though global trade 
transport by ship makes up a significant 3 
percent of carbon emissions. One technique 
proven to cut fuel consumption is “slow 
steaming,” a simple reduction in operating 
speed. 
But neither planes nor ships release as much 
carbon annually as our cars, trucks and buses, 
which account for a troubling 25 percent of all 
greenhouse emissions. Making these vehicles 
more fuel-efficient by decreasing engine size or 
using lighter building materials won’t be enough. 
Ideally, they’d all be replaced by electric 
versions in the near future. But until this 
technology is fully developed, hybrid cars could 
be a bridge solution. Hybrid cars integrate an 
electric motor with a classic combustion engine, 
and are about 30 percent more fuel-efficient than 
regular cars. Many governments around the 
world have begun subsidizing the purchase of 
hybrid cars, making them an appealing 
alternative to consumers.
Another mobility alternative that should be 
subsidized and developed is mass transportation 
such as public buses, metros and high-speed 
rail services. Where mass transportation is 

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cheap, efficient and seamless, it can overcome 
the cultural appeal of cars, cut down emissions, 
and ease both traffic congestion and pollution. 
Ridesharing, e-bikes and e-scooters are other 
transportation methods that can lower the 
carbon cost of getting around. Many apps 
provide these services for little money, making it 
increasingly attractive to leave one’s car at 
home.