CO2 emissions from freight transport in the EU-15 between 1995 and 2008: main drivers and problems in accounting for the international perspective

Sammanfattning: The share of transport sector green house gas emissions has been increasing in the EU-15 in the recent decades. Moreover, the development in passenger and freight transport subsectors has diverged. This thesis provides drivers of freight transport carbon emissions in the EU-15 between 1995 and 2008 by conducting Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition. It differentiates between structure, intensity and economic growth effects. The traditional LMDI analysis suggests that economic growth was the sole driver of increases in freight transport carbon emissions. However, the thesis points to inconsistencies in the existing literature when considering the international transport and trade growth. Incorporating the international dimension, economic growth stays coupled with freight transport carbon emissions. However, decreases in energy intensity point at relative decoupling between freight transport fuel consumption and economic growth. This fact suggests that reduced energy intensity slowed down increases in freight transport carbon emissions.