Transportation Is A Climate Issue: Time For Cities To Act

Forbes

22-04-2025

As we celebrate Earth Day and Climate Week kicks off in San Francisco, there is no better time to shine a light on one of the most overlooked contributors to the climate crisis: transportation. In the U.S., transportation is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing even electricity generation. Yet it often receives far less attention in climate policy discussions than clean energy or industrial decarbonization.
That needs to change.
If cities are serious about achieving their climate goals, they must confront the carbon footprint of how people and goods move through urban areas. That means rethinking infrastructure, investing in sustainable alternatives, and making hard choices about car dependency.
Most urban transportation emissions come from private vehicles—cars, SUVs, and light trucks that run on gasoline and diesel. These vehicles account for nearly 60% of transportation-related emissions nationwide. While electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating, the reality is that we won't achieve meaningful emissions reductions by simply replacing every gas-powered car with an EV. The grid must be decarbonized, and the materials and infrastructure required for an all-EV future carry their own environmental costs.
Reducing emissions requires more than cleaner vehicles; it requires fewer vehicles. This means making public transit, cycling, walking, and shared mobility safer, more convenient, and more accessible.
The good news? Cities have the tools to make a difference. Local governments control land use, zoning, parking, and street design. These levers, when aligned with climate goals, can reshape the transportation landscape in powerful ways.
Take congestion pricing. New York City is launching the first such program in the U.S., charging drivers a fee to enter the most congested parts of Manhattan. This policy is expected to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and generate revenue for public transit. European cities have gone even further, with over 250 implementing low-emission zones (LEZs) that restrict or charge high-polluting vehicles.
Another promising strategy is eliminating parking minimums. Cities like San Francisco, Portland, and Minneapolis have already taken this step, allowing developers to build less parking, which reduces car dependency and lowers housing costs.
And cities are increasingly embracing data to guide these decisions. With the right tools, they can monitor transportation trends, assess the equity and environmental impacts of new policies, and adjust in real time.
While the climate conversation often centers on national and international action, local governments have enormous influence over one of the most critical sectors: transportation. From curb management to bus lanes, cities can dramatically reduce emissions while also creating healthier, more equitable communities.
Climate Week in San Francisco is a reminder of the urgency and opportunity before us. It's not just about celebrating progress or committing to future goals—it's about action today.
Earth Day should be more than a symbolic gesture; it should be a call to prioritize the things that move the needle. And that means addressing transportation head-on.
If we want cleaner air, safer streets, and a livable planet, we need to stop treating transportation as an afterthought in climate policy. Cities must adopt bold, data-informed strategies to reduce vehicle miles traveled, promote sustainable alternatives, and reallocate public space away from private cars.
Transportation is a climate issue. And the longer we ignore that fact, the harder the road ahead will become. Earth Day and Climate Week offer the perfect moment to change course—starting right here, in our streets.