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Global Transportation Decarbonization

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  • David S. Rapson
  • Erich Muehlegger

Abstract

A number of policy proposals call for replacing fossil fuels in the name of decarbonization, but these fuels will be difficult to replace due to to their as-yet unrivaled bundle of attributes: abundance, ubiquity, energy density, transportability and cost. There is a growing commitment to electrification as the dominant decarbonization pathway for transportation. While deep electrification is promising for road vehicles in wealthy countries, it will face steep obstacles. In other sectors and in the developing world, it’s not even in pole position. Global transportation decarbonization will require decoupling emissions from economic growth, and decoupling emissions from growth will require not only new technologies, but cooperation in governance. The menu of policy options is replete with tradeoffs, particularly as the primacy of energy security and reliability (over emissions abatement) has once again been demonstrated in Europe and elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • David S. Rapson & Erich Muehlegger, 2023. "Global Transportation Decarbonization," NBER Working Papers 31513, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:31513
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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