GHG Emissions for Transportation

Taken by Megan Terebus, December 2000

Rhode Island Contributes More than Ever to Global Warming

Although Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 United States, it's transportation sector ranks 44th overall in GHG emissions, measured in Metric Tons of Carbon Emitted (MTCE). Better still, RI ranks 47th in per capita MTCE compared with national data from the remaining United States. Within the state, as represented in the chart below, transportation's contribution to the GHG emissions has been in somewhat of a flux over the past 10 years. However, overall from 1990 to 1997, RI witnessed an increase in MTCE from the transportation sector. The emission of CO2 into the atmosphere is likely to have impacts on global climate change. CO2 accounts for 80% of all total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Thirty-one percent of the CO2 emissions came from transportation sources in 1997. In RI, the transportation accounts for approximately 28% of all MTCE for the state, second only to the electric utilities sector.

Vehicles today are 35% more efficient than vehicles 30 years ago. Despite the improvements in efficiency and emissions of CO2 in newer vehicles, GHG emissions have increased. These increases in GHG emissions may also be due to trends in RI gasoline prices, vehicle miles traveled by the people of RI, registered vehicles, and use of public transportation (RIPTA).

Click on Graph for Calculations

Quick Facts about Pollution

Although GHG emissions have increased in the state of RI, pollutants have decreased. Cars emit 95% less pollutants than they did 30 years ago. However, automobiles are still responsible for many types of pollution. Below are some quick facts about the tangential "costs" of driving.

Air pollution caused by driving is responsible for damage to buildings, statues, agricultural crops, forests and human health.
Transportation contributes to noise pollution which can cause stress, interfere with sleep and cause decrease to property values.
Increased number of car registrations contributes to lower worker productivity, more automobile accidents, wasted fuel and increased automobile maintenance costs.
The government pays $0.02 in health care costs for every mile driven by a solo driver.

Sources:

Chung, H.C., B. Hoben, G. Chalder, R. Eigen. The Costs of Suburban Sprawl and Urban Decay. Prepared for Grow Smart Rhode Island. HC Planning Consultants, Inc., Planimetrics, LLP. December, 1999.

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Climate Change in Rhode Island: Educational Resources. Rhode Island Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory: Fossil Fuels. September 2000.

Conservation Law Foundation. Road Kill: How Solo Driving Runs Down the Economy. A CLF Report. May 1994.

United States Department of Transportation. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Transportation Statistics Annual Report. Chapter 5: Transportation, Energy and the Environment. 1999.

United States Environmental Protection Agency. Global Warming Website. Oct. 30, 2000.

Where do I go from here within transportation? RI Gasoline Prices

Transportation/Energy/RI Indicators