European cities use Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer for urban mobility planning
Learn how Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) is being used by cities in Europe to inform regional transport emissions reduction plans & promote sustainable modes of travel.
By Adam Elman, Head of Sustainability for EMEA
Mobility is an essential pillar for city infrastructure everywhere, connecting residents to education, employment, essential services and more. However, a city’s transportation system can have significant implications on the environment and human health. Transportation is responsible for approximately a quarter of the total greenhouse gas emissions in both the EU and the UK.
Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE) was created to help solve the practical challenges experienced by cities around the world when it comes to obtaining access to timely environmental data for decision-making and climate action.
As Google hosts its second sustainability summit in Brussels this week, we’re excited to share how European cities are using EIE to better understand transportation emissions sources and different modes of travel. In turn, this information helps inform transport emission reduction plans and promote sustainable travel.
(Content in this blog post is based on technical case study content developed by our partners at ICLEI Europe).
Aarhus, Denmark
More than ten years ago, Aarhus set the ambitious goal to become carbon-neutral by 2030. Since that pledge, Aarhus has halved emissions in the city by focusing on transforming their energy sector. Now, the city has set a target of 100% renewable energy, which the city plans to achieve through increased solar and wind power, increased efficiency in buildings and industry, and by decarbonizing transportation.
In particular, the transport sector has presented a challenge for Aarhus, contributing to almost 50% of overall remaining emissions. Aarhus turned to Environmental Insights Explorer for a more complete picture of traffic data. In particular, Aarhus benefits from information attributed to vehicles registered outside of the city which regularly commute in. With this additional context, the city is in a stronger position to understand whether to focus interventions on commuter traffic, or vehicles within the city. EIE data is also helping Aarhus to monitor the success of their carbon reduction interventions, and understand how much travel is really happening by foot or bicycle.
Since 2009, Aarhus has increased the use of bikes in the city by 20%. Now, Aarhus intends to continue using EIE as a regular input for their city emission inventories, and to support efforts that encourage lower emission forms of travel i.e. public transit, cycling and walking.
Read the full technical case study here.
Athens, Greece
Athens forms the central part of a wider connected metropolitan area with considerable movement of traffic in and out of the city.
The city started working with Environmental Insights Explorer in 2021, discovering that the platform could help them build a more accurate picture of private vehicle trips and associated emissions. Using this new information, Athens updated their existing vehicle emissions calculations and inventories, and will also use this data to inform future inventories.
“Now that the methodology has been set, it will be just a one to two days routine to estimate GHG emissions from private transport, while before it would take a couple of weeks to set up the assumptions and estimations to end up with less precise results.”
- Dr Eleftheria Alexandri, Civil Engineer from the City of Athens
Athens has subsequently approved a new Climate Action Plan in 2022 with a commitment to reducing 61% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, compared to 2018. Encouraging more sustainable modes of travel represents a key focus for the city, as they aim to increase pedestrian travel by up to 14.5% of trips taken, and increase the use of public transport by 4.5% in the next 10 years.
Read the full technical case study here.
Greater Manchester, UK
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in the North West of England. The region’s transport sector currently contributes roughly 30% of their overall carbon emissions.
The local government body Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has designed a long-term policy framework designed to support sustainable economic growth and access to equal opportunity, otherwise referred to as The Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040. Under this plan, a wide range of actions to reduce CO2 emissions and deliver air quality improvements will be introduced.
Greater Manchester is using Environmental Insights Explorer to inform their 2040 Right Mix action plan, which establishes that 50% of trips should be made by sustainable modes of travel (public transport, walking, cycling). EIE’s modal share information helps the county better understand trips taken across the region, and decide where to focus their sustainable mobility interventions.
Read the full technical case study here.
Izmir, Turkey
Izmir Metropolitan City is the third largest city in Turkey and sees substantial passenger and cargo traffic. Transport is estimated to be the region’s second largest emitting sector.
Izmir is committed to CO2 emission reductions of at least 40% (per capita) against a 2018 baseline year by 2030. In 2020, the city developed their Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP, 2020). As part of this plan, Izmir plans to foster more diverse modes of low carbon transportation alternatives and reduce traffic congestion. The city plans to do this by increasing the capacity and efficiency of mass transit, developing park and ride systems, increasing ferry-ride capacity, improving pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
Izmir looked to ICLEI Europe and EIE to better understand transport emissions in their city. Whereas the city previously developed its GHG emissions inventory every 3 to 4 years, the city now has access to annually updated data. EIE’s ferry trip data is also a positive addition: ferries are commonly used for citizen transportation and for moving goods and services in the gulf area, and Izmir did not previously have this information.
Izmir has used EIE’s Transportation Emissions and trips data to better understand their transport sector carbon footprint and overall mobility patterns of their citizens. Going forward, EIE’s multi-year data will also be used to inform their future Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP) and Carbon Neutrality Roadmap. Finally, EIE’s detailed annual emissions data allows the city to monitor the progress of their transport emissions interventions, and identify further decarbonization opportunities within the mobility sector.
Read the full technical case study here.
Request access to Environmental Insights Explorer
Currently available in more than 40,000 cities and regions worldwide, Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer offers in-depth data that helps cities evaluate their current emissions, view trends over time, and plan for a more sustainable future.
If you’re government-affiliated, sign up here to explore your city’s annual carbon emissions data, analyze year-over-year mobility trends, evaluate scenarios based on adjusted values, and more.
(Please note, access to Environmental Insights Explorer is only available to government employees or organizations working with city governments).
About ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network of 2,500+ local governments in 125 countries dedicated to sustainable urban development. ICLEI Europe influences sustainability policies, promotes local initiatives for low emissions, nature-based, equitable, resilient, and circular development. In Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and West Asia, it empowers members, fosters connections, and promotes positive change in environmental, economic, and social policies.
