The Environmental Impacts of Transportation

The issue of transportation and the environment is paradoxical in nature. From one side, transportation activities support increasing mobility demands for passengers and freight, and this ranging from urban areas to international trade. On the other side, transport activities have resulted in growing levels of motorization and congestion. As a result, the transportation sector is becoming increasingly linked to environmental problems. With a technology, relying heavily on the combustion of hydrocarbons, notably with the internal combustion engine, the impacts of transportation over environmental systems has increased with motorization. This has reached a point where transportation activities are a dominant factor behind the emission of most pollutants and thus their impacts on the environment. These impacts, like all environmental impacts, can fall within three categories:

1. Direct impacts. The immediate consequence of transport activities on the environment where the cause and effect relationship is generally clear and well understood.
2. Indirect impacts. The secondary (or tertiary) effects of transport activities on environmental systems. They are often of higher consequence than direct impacts, but the involved relationships are often misunderstood and difficult to establish.
3. Cumulative impacts. The additive, multiplicative or synergetic consequences of transport activities. They take into account of the varied effects of direct and indirect impacts on an ecosystem, which are often unpredicted.

The complexities of the problems have led to much controversy in environmental policy and in the role of transportation. The transportation sector is often subsidized by the public sector. If the owner and the regulator are the same (different branches of the government), then there is a risk that regulations will not be effectively complied to.

The relationships between transport and the environment are multidimensional. Some aspects are unknown and some new findings may lead to drastic changes in environmental policies. The 1990s were characterized by a realization of global environmental issues. Transportation also became an important dimension of the concept of sustainability. These impending developments require a deep understanding of the influence between the physical environment and transport infrastructures.

The main factors considered in the physical environment are geographical location, topography, geological structure, climate, hydrology, soil, natural vegetation and animal life.

Adapted from the authors’ materials by Sarah Lindeman, Novosibirsk State University

Exercise 2. Finish the statement according to the text read.

1) Transportation activities are important for the development of urban areas to international trade and have resulted in growing levels of motorization and congestion. So…

a) they support increasing mobility demands for passengers and freight.

b) the issue of transportation and the environment is paradoxical.

c) the transportation sector is global.

d) the environmental impact of transportation is negative.

2) Transportation activities are a dominant factor behind the emission of most pollutants and thus their impacts on the environment…

a) is generally clear and well understood.

b) often misunderstood and difficult to establish.

c) can be direct, indirect and cumulative.

d) people take into account.

3) Concept of sustainability requires a deep understanding of the influence between the physical environment and transport infrastructures. Thus…

a) the transportation sector is often subsidized by the public sector.

b) the main factors considered in the physical environment are geographical location, topography, geological structure, climate.

c) there is a risk that regulations will not be effectively complied to.

d) the relationships between transport and the environment are multidimensional.