Road traffic emissions and emission reduction targets: case of Highway E18 in South-East Finland

Abstract

Transportation accounts for approximately a quarter of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and it is the only sector where emissions have been increasing over the past few decades. European Union (EU) has set carbon reduction targets for the transportation sector to 2050. This research examines the situation in Finland through the eastern section of a main highway. Traffic volumes on the examined highway (E18) were gathered from 2010 to 2019. Thereafter, an emissions inventory was synthesised with open data on traffic volumes, national vehicle fleet characteristics and corresponding emissions factors. The total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have risen slightly, while air pollutant emissions have decreased. This is primarily due to vehicle fleet renewal and decreased heavy road traffic. Also, a hypothetical scenario is built, which indicates that reaching the EU's decarbonisation goals in the study region via electrification requires the extent to cover all passenger vehicles and vans.