Understanding per-trip commuting CO2 emissions: A case study of the Technical University of Madrid

Resumen

Cities are at the core of global climate change mitigation and strategic low-carbon development. Within cities, universities are ideal places to raise awareness of environmentally friendly lifestyles. This paper focuses on understanding per-trip commuting CO2 emissions in the Technical University of Madrid. A simple mobility survey was conducted collecting 2149 responses. The study includes a methodology to estimate CO2 emission factors by transport mode in Madrid. The results show that public transport is the main mode used, with over 75% of trips. However, users
of private modes produce more than 55% of the total CO2 emissions from commuting. After an analysis of UPM commuters’ travel behaviour and their climate change impacts, a set of reduction policies -such as campaigns to promote shared mobility, economic incentives in public transport, and integrated parking management policies among others are proposed to redefine policies after the pandemic crisis.