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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

Environmental costs of transport

Liikenteen paastokustannukset

This study presents the estimated total environmental costs of airborne pollutants in road, rail and water transport in Finland and the unit costs of emissions used in socio-economic impact assessments of the transport system. The estimations are based on emission inventory for the year 2007 and the results are shown in prices of 2010. The study updates previous estimates dating back ten years. The total environmental cost of airborne pollutants in transport is estimated at 900 million euros. This is composed of 820 million euros attributable to fuel use and street dust, 54 million euros to the front end of fuel chains and 26 million euros to waste from water transport. The share of road transport in the total cost is 695 million euros, water transport 190 million euros and rail transport just under 15 million euros. The assessment covers the impacts of pollutants on health (increased mortality and morbidity) and flora (crop losses and decreased forest growth) as well as the cost of climate change. In addition to fuel emissions, also street dust is included in the analysis. In water transport the evaluation is extended to solid and liquid waste. In addition to fuel use, also other steps in the fuel chains, namely production, transport, refining and distribution, are covered by the study. The environmental unit costs of primary particles, sulphates and nitrates vary geographically and between different transport modes. The differences are particularly distinctive for particle emissions from road transport. The environmental unit costs of hydrocarbons and greenhouse gasses are the same for all transport modes in all traffic environments and all parts of the country. The impact assessment and monetary valuation of airborne pollutants was principally carried out by using the Impact Pathway Method. The method starts with an emissions inventory and estimation of the consequent pollutant concentrations followed by assessment of physical impacts, and finally monetary valuation. The monetary valuation of climate change was made by combining damage cost estimates and values presented for economic regulation of climate emissions. The waterborne stressors from water transport were valued by abatement costs. The same method was applied to street dust. The previous similar study, dating back to 2003, estimated the environmental costs of road, rail and water transport in Finland at 1.1 billion euros in prices of 2010 (excluding street dust and solid and liquid waste burdening the Baltic Sea). Thereafter, the costs associated with health and nature impacts have declined whereas the cost of climate change has increased. Considering the increased traffic volumes in the 2000’s, decline or stabilisation of environmental costs could be considered a favourable outcome. Technical development has lowered the emissions’ impacts on health and nature and it even compensates for the growth in mileage. However, another significant factor contributing to lower damage costs is that the monetary value chosen for a life year lost is lower than previously. Nevertheless, technical development has not managed to curb energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Language

  • English
  • Finnish

Media Info

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01454580
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Source Agency: Finnish Transport Agency
  • ISBN: 9789522551696
  • Files: ITRD, TRIS
  • Created Date: Nov 27 2012 9:40AM