Is sustainable transport policy sustainable?

The paper challenges the existing sustainable transport literature. Most sustainable transport plans focus on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in either one region or country and this neglects two handicaps of strong unilateral action. The first is that climate is a global commons problem so a strong binding international climate agreement is unlikely. The second is that a unilateral reduction of oil consumption by a limited number of countries will be partially, or even completely, offset by market responses – in some circumstances, cumulative emissions may even come earlier (the “green paradox”). When a coalition of the willing reduces oil use in the transport sector, this will delay rather than reduce total emissions. This requires rethinking climate policies for the transport sector: what policies remain cost effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions?