Mobility Reimagined: Cutting Emissions with a Multi-Scale Transport Strategy

This presentation a hierarchical approach to solving the future of transportation by looking at the big picture of mobility needs through the lens of energy efficiency. While today’s transportation discussions often focus on autonomous cars and flying vehicles, they overlook the critical issue of energy consumption. The transportation sector currently accounts for 30% of global energy consumption and more than a third of global CO2 emissions from end-use sectors. Our approach divides travel into different ranges (short, medium, long, and very long) and matches each with the most energy-efficient transportation mode. For example, walking, cycling, drones, and private cars for short distances under 5km; electric buses, vehicles, and light rail for medium journeys (5-50km), regional and high-speed rail for longer trips (50-1500km), and aircraft/ships only when necessary for very long distances. This system-like perspective allows us to combine the flexibility people want from personal transportation with the significant energy efficiency of public transit. Rather than viewing transportation modes in isolation, we examine how they can work together as an integrated system. The paper addresses implementation across passenger transport, logistics, and freight movement, offering a balanced solution that maintains convenience while substantially reducing overall energy use and emissions in the transportation sector.