Uber Stepping Up for Climate
Today, at the Global Climate Action Summit (GCAS) in San Francisco, Uber joined other leading technology companies to launch the Step Up Declaration, a new alliance dedicated to harnessing the power of emerging technologies to help solve the climate challenge.
At Uber, stepping up means developing new technologies to help the transportation sector address long-standing climate challenges. Transportation-related climate commitments are not on track to keep global warming below 2°C. This is particularly troubling since emissions from transportation account for as much as one quarter of the global energy-related carbon footprint. In the United States (US), greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation are the highest of any sector.
Getting the transportation sector back on track requires a significant departure from mobility as usual and demands the combined efforts of both public and private sector participants. Through the Step Up Declaration we proudly join other innovators developing technologies that help with the necessary course correction.
Uber aims to make mobility more affordable, convenient and efficient than the most popular form of transportation around the world: owning and driving fossil-fueled cars. A few months ago, we described how our technology drives efficiency and can enable more people to move in fewer, fuller, and more efficient vehicles over time.
Going forward, and as part of our commitment to Step Up, we plan to drive even greater impact by expanding low carbon mobility options. In particular, this means investments that drive more electric and shared trips.
By 2050, increased use of electric vehicle (EV) technology can achieve approximately 40 to 70% lower carbon emissions than combustion engines. We believe that Uber’s platform can accelerate the transition to electric mobility. With the launch of our EV Champions initiative in June, Uber’s efforts to drive more shared, electric mobility have expanded to more than 20 cities in 12 countries across three continents.
Now we’re looking for more ways to drive e-trips in cities by investing in electric micro-mobility. Just a few days ago, we laid out a future vision for Uber where mobility on e-bikes and e-scooters eclipses ride-hailing in conventional cars. According to a study by ITDP, increasing travel on bikes and e-bikes in the world’s largest cities from current levels of around 6% up to 14% can reduce GHG emissions by as much as 11%.
We’re already seeing the beginnings of this transition on our own platform. A recent analysis showed that, in San Francisco, Uber riders who became active Jump users increased their e-bike use by 15% while decreasing their use of Uber rides in cars by 10%. Imagine the potential climate benefits of doing this at a greater scale. In the US, more than 50% of car trips are 5 miles or less; a range that we see many riders use Jump e-bikes. What if we, other innovators, and cities worked together to replace just 10% of short car trips with electric and human-powered micro-mobility?
We’re also continuing to expand our work as the largest carpooling platform in the world. Research shows carpooling can generate significant climate emissions reduction — as much as 5% in the US, according to researchers at Texas Tech University — at even modest levels of consumer adoption. Unfortunately, convincing travellers to adopt it remains the fundamental challenge. The latest US Census figures show commuters’ adoption of carpooling at just over 9%.
At Uber, we will continue to address this challenge through innovation that creates value for customers and for the cities we operate in. Products such as POOL, ExpressPool, XL and features like Split-Fare and Multiple Destination Trips help move more people in fewer, fuller cars through ease and affordability. Today, uberPOOL accounts for 20% of Uber trips globally in the cities where we can make it available.
With the Step Up Declaration and our participation at GCAS, Uber is proud to join other innovative organizations building new tools to drive positive climate impact.
