Source: Andreas Schaefer, Cambridge University Dr Andreas Schäfer, University of Cambridge,presented a long-term, evidence-based view on the topic of mobility and climate change. Over time, as we have moved from an agricultural, to an industrial to a services-based economy, the energy requirements have changed, and have invariably increased. He proposed a model for analysing the composition of greenhouse gas emissions, based on the passenger kilometres traveled, the energy intensity and the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of the fuel used. Detailed studies show that there is an exponential growth in the demand for mobility but at the same time there is a diminution in the public provision of mobility, in which the USA can be seen as a trend-setter (see Figure 4). Unfortunately, this trend is likely to continue as the world’s population expands in megacities in the developing world, in which public transport provision is often very limited.
