Mobility Data for Climate Action: Measuring Sustainable Transportation Progress

Transportation is a big player when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions in cities. To hit our climate goals, we really need to change how people move about. But the thing is, you can’t manage what you can’t measure – and that’s exactly where mobility data comes into play.

Cities are starting to use mobility data to keep tabs on how they’re doing with sustainable transportation and climate action plans. By looking at things like emissions, mode share, and vehicle miles traveled, agencies can figure out if their policies are actually pushing us toward cleaner, low-carbon ways of getting around.

See how Mobility Data helps cities measure and improve sustainable transportation.

Tracking Transport Emissions

A key metric here is CO2 emissions from urban transport. Mobility data, such as aggregated travel figures and fuel use, helps cities track their greenhouse gas emissions.

To know how much carbon their transport sector is churning out, cities need clear and regular data. Without this info, they can't really tell if a change like congestion pricing or a new bus route is actually reducing CO2 emissions.

Take Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) for example. This tool uses anonymized location and Maps data to estimate transport emissions for cities around the world. It gives yearly CO2 estimates, showing emissions breakdown by mode and even inbound versus outbound trips.

This way, cities can see trends – like if their transport CO2 dropped by 5% from one year to the next – and relate that to more people taking public transport or adopting electric vehicles.

Modal Share and Mobility Patterns

The percentage of trips taken by car, public transit, bike, or walking is called mode share, and it’s super important for sustainability.

Moving people from high-carbon transport modes (like single-occupancy gas cars) to cleaner ones (like public transit or biking) is often a goal. Cities can use data from surveys and other sources to understand their modal split.

For instance, a city might find that right now, 60% of trips are by private car, while 25% are by transit, 10% by walking, and 5% by biking. If their climate plan aims for 50% sustainable trips by 2030, they need to check their progress every year.

Tracking data on things like modal share and average distances helps cities see if their policies are doing the job and how people's travel habits are changing.

Explore how Traffic Volume Data supports modal shift analysis.

Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Car Dependency

Many climate strategies look to cut down on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita. Since fewer vehicle miles usually mean less pollution, tracking this data – which can come from traffic counts or GPS – is key.

Cities can keep an eye on VMT over time. If the VMT per person goes down, it likely means policies like better public transit or mixed-use development are working.

But if it’s climbing, they may need to rethink their strategies. The U.S. EPA recommends using VMT per capita to measure how reliant people are on cars.

This info can come from roadway counts and travel surveys and can be estimated more accurately thanks to mobile data.

Transit Performance and Ridership

Good transit ridership numbers are a positive sign for climate efforts since public transit generally emits less CO2 per passenger than cars.

Mobility data helps track transit usage. Cities often have targets for improving public transport, like aiming to double transit ridership by 2030. Data from ticket sales or counters can show whether they’re hitting those goals.

Also, measuring transit service levels – like how many people have easy access to frequent service – can impact climate actions. Better transit options give people real alternatives to driving, which might lower emissions.

Active Transportation and Micromobility Use

Getting more people biking or walking is crucial for sustainable transport. Using sources like bike counters and pedestrian sensors, cities can track how many people are cycling and walking.

For example, if a city's goal is to triple cycling, they’d want to check if those numbers are indeed rising every year.

Safety is also a big factor. If streets are safer, more people are likely to walk or bike. Cities keep track of safety data – like how many cyclist or pedestrian injuries happen – which can show if changes, like new bike lanes, are making a difference.

Learn more about Traffic Safety Solutions for sustainable mobility.

EV Adoption and Fuel Economy

Not all driving is created equal when it comes to climate. Electric vehicles (EVs) have much lower emissions.

So it’s important for cities to monitor how many EVs are on the road and how much travel is done by them. They might measure things like the percentage of vehicle miles that are from electrified travel or the number of EVs per 1,000 people.

This helps them understand how fast they're making the switch to cleaner vehicles. Plus, tracking the fuel economy of regular cars can help show improvements in more efficient vehicles.

Congestion and Idling

Interestingly, data on congestion also matters. Idling in traffic wastes fuel and cranks up emissions.

Mobility data from traffic sensors can help cities know how congested their roads are. If they make changes like congestion pricing or optimize traffic signals, and the data shows smoother traffic (like higher average speeds), that could lead to fewer emissions per trip.

Climate and Equity Metrics

Many cities also consider equitable access and quality of life when looking at sustainable mobility.

For instance, they might track what percentage of low-income households use sustainable transport or how much pollution has dropped in certain neighborhoods following traffic changes.

By pairing mobility data with air quality tools, cities can see if low-emission zones or electric buses improve air quality for communities that need it most.

The C40 Cities group has put together a set of indicators for sustainable mobility that mixes climate and equity, tracking things like how long it takes to get to work and how accessible public transit is.

Measuring Progress: Turning Goals into Data

To give you a picture, think about a city that rolled out a Climate Action Plan five years ago with a focus on cutting transport CO2 by 30% and doubling the use of public transport and biking by 2040.

How can they check if they’re on the right path? They’d look at data like:

• Annual transportation GHG emissions – is it going down toward their target?
• Mode share from travel surveys – did transit go from 20% to 25% of trips?
• Total VMT per person – is it going down?
• EV registration percentage – is it speeding up?
• Number of low-emission zones – are more vehicles cleaner over time?

The takeaway from the EIT Urban Mobility article from 2025 is that data drives smart actions, making it tough for cities to assess their efforts without solid mobility data.

It shows how cities can use data to check if their methods work, creating clearer greenhouse gas reports and improving how they track policies.

Essentially, this data turns lofty climate goals into concrete numbers they can keep an eye on. That allows them to adjust plans based on what the numbers say.

The Power of Proof: Funding and Accountability

Having hard data helps cities get more support and funding.

If a city can prove that more bike lanes led to an 80% jump in cycling trips and dropped CO2 emissions, it makes a great case for more sustainable transport investments.

Data also helps meet reporting needs and secure grants.

Conclusion: Managing What You Measure

In short, mobility data is key for climate action in transportation.It gives cities the baseline and ongoing reports they need for their sustainable mobility plans.By measuring things like transport modes, VMT, emissions, and access, cities can track how they're doing toward cleaner air and lower emissions and make sure they stick to their climate promises.

After all, as the saying goes, "if you’re not measuring it, you’re not managing it."

With solid mobility data, cities can really do both – keep track and steer their way toward a greener, low-carbon transport future.

FAQ: Using Mobility Data for Climate Action

Q1: Why is mobility data essential for climate action in transportation?
Ans: Mobility data enables cities to accurately monitor transportation emissions, track travel behaviors, and measure progress toward sustainability targets. Without such data, it’s nearly impossible to assess the impact of policies or know if low-carbon solutions are working.​

Q2: Which metrics matter most for measuring sustainable mobility?
Ans: Key indicators include CO2/greenhouse gas emissions, mode share (car, transit, bike, walk), vehicle miles traveled (VMT), transit ridership, cycling/walking rates, active transportation safety, EV adoption, and congestion trends. Together, these give a clear picture of sustainable transport progress.​

Q3: How do cities track transportation emissions?
Ans: Cities use aggregated mobility data, such as traffic counts, GPS traces, and trip models, to estimate CO2 emissions across the road network. Tools like Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer offer yearly emissions estimates by mode and area to help monitor trends.​

Q4: How does mobility data support modal shift and active transport?
Ans: Data from surveys, sensors, and automated counters tracks shifts toward greener travel modes. Tracking mode share and travel distances reveals if new policies or infrastructure (bike lanes, transit extensions) are moving people away from private cars.​

Q5: How is vehicle miles traveled (VMT) used in climate analysis?
Ans: Reductions in VMT per capita point to less reliance on personal vehicles and lower emissions. Mobility data helps quantify these trends, highlighting the effectiveness of public transit, land use, and active transport initiatives.​

Q6: Can real-world impacts be measured with mobility data?
Ans: Yes. Cities can correlate mobility metrics with environmental outcomes - such as linking increased bike trips to drops in emissions or improved air quality - and use these results to secure funding or adjust strategies.​

Q7: What’s next for cities tracking climate and mobility?
Ans: Best-in-class cities are integrating regular data collection, transparent reporting, and modern analytics into climate plans. Regional collaborations and cross-sector partnerships help cities adopt new tools, set ambitious goals, and turn raw data into stronger climate outcomes.

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