Transportation

Transportation accounts for nearly 30 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, which come primarily from the combustion of petroleum-based fuels. Most transportation emissions are from fuel use in one of four vehicle types: passenger cars, light-duty trucks (which include SUVs, pickup trucks, and mini-vans), heavy-duty vehicles, and airplanes. Achieving emission reductions from the transportation sector requires a multi-pronged approach that includes improving vehicle efficiency, lowering the carbon content of fuels, reducing vehicle miles traveled, and improving the efficiency of the overall transportation system. There are many technological options for achieving these improvements, and a variety of policies can facilitate their adoption.