Possibilities of personal carbon trading to tackle greenhouse gas emissions in the passenger mobility sector

Abstract

The Paris Agreement signed in 2015 aims to limit average temperature rise to 1.5 ℃. Still, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport keep rising despite ongoing policies and passenger mobility rates keep increasing. A potential but mostly theoretically studied policy called personal carbon trading (PCT) could be one solution to help achieve the 1.5-degree climate target in the passenger mobility sector. Thus, the overall aim of this dissertation is to increase our knowledge on PCT in the passenger mobility sector. The first objective of this dissertation is to show the need for new policies in the passenger mobility sector. The second objective is to present the results of a PCT pilot related to passenger mobility combining novel technologies. The third objective is to analyse the potential distributional effects of PCT in the passenger mobility sector.

This dissertation uses mainly quantitative methods to achieve the objectives. The studied PCT pilot was implemented using a mobile phone application, which was also used to gather mobility data. In addition, a survey was used to gather mobility data. Quantitative methods were also used for data analysis. In addition, life cycle mobility GHG emissions were calculated based on the gathered mobility data and statistical data.

The results of this dissertation indicate that both behavioural change and technology development are needed in the passenger mobility sector to achieve the 1.5-degree climate target. Although GHG emissions from passenger mobility decreased substantially during the Covid-19 pandemic due to the strict mobility restrictions, a similar long-term reduction would not be sufficient to meet the 1.5-degree target for 2030. In addition, GHG emissions from passenger mobility were predicted to decrease significantly due only to society-level actions and technology development, but this development alone will not be sufficient. The studied PCT pilot gave novel insights into a real-time PCT scheme in the passenger mobility sector utilising information and communication technologies. A framework for a PCT scheme was created and its strengths and weaknesses were recognised. The economic impact of PCT in the passenger mobility sector using different carbon allowance allocation methods showed that PCT could be a progressive policy tool. The knowledge gained from the PCT pilot can be used to further improve PCT as a policy.