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Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Transportation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 March 2025) | Viewed by 11131

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Huw Davies

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Guest Editor

Centre for Future Transport and Cities, Coventry University, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
Interests: transport policy; regulation and standards

Dr. Suzanne Bartington

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Guest Editor

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, UK
Interests: environmental epidemiology; public policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. James Levine

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Guest Editor

Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, UK
Interests: numerical modelling of air quality; software development; academic-to-practitioner knowledge transfer

Dr. Nwabueze Emekwuru

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
Interests: atomization and sprays; sustainability in engineering; air quality in resource poor regions; heat and mass transfer

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

There is a second major transport revolution, characterised by a future shift away from the internal combustion engine, with implications for existing business models, national infrastructure, and the way we travel. This transition presents opportunities and challenges for improving indoor and outdoor air quality and health, occurring in the context of disruptive changes in transport technology and evolving mobility patterns through demographic and behavioural changes in recent decades. The TRANSITION Clean Air Network (https://transition-air.org.uk/) is a programme led by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with 9 universities and over 20 cross-sector partners, which seeks to deliver air quality and health benefits associated with a transition to a low-emission transport economy.

Authors from engineering, public health, environmental and social sciences, alongside those representing business and not-for-profit organisations who seek to identify challenges and capitalise on opportunities to improve air-quality-related population health benefits associated with transport decarbonisation, are invited to submit their papers. Multidisciplinary research that bridges the physical, biological, social sciences, and the humanities is particularly encouraged. Submissions could relate but are not limited to the following topics and questions:

Characterising emerging air quality challenges—what are the current and future transport pollution sources and how will these determine health benefits and harms?
Understanding transport choices and behaviours—how will changes in mobility choices and patterns driven by transport decarbomisation change population exposure to air pollution?
Supporting industry-led research and innovation—obtaining key primary datasets, developing new technologies, or developing standards and/or test methods to assess compliance therewith;
Co-creating a framework for policy solutions—which planning processes/policy guidance need to be adapted to optimise public health benefits?

Dr. Huw Davies
Dr. Suzanne Bartington
Dr. James Levine
Dr. Nwabueze Emekwuru
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

air quality
public health
transport decarbonisation
policy
pollutants

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4472 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint of the Port of Sines: Contribution to Maritime Transport Sustainability

by Teresa Batista, Carmen Luisa Vásquez, Rodrigo Ramírez-Pisco, Lucas de Aquino Marinho, Francisco António Borges and João Araújo

Sustainability 2025, 17(8), 3382; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17083382 - 10 Apr 2025

Viewed by 363

Abstract

Calculating the energy consumption and carbon footprint is essential for maritime industry sustainability, driving informed decisions and innovation. This study assesses the energy consumption and carbon footprint of the Port of Sines in Portugal to support its decarbonization and energy transition, based on the scopes defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The proposed calculation model is detailed using different data sources for the 2018–2022 period. For each terminal, the monthly and annual energy consumption and carbon footprint are calculated, considering land and maritime activities into the port jurisdiction area. The results show that more than 99% of the port’s total energy consumption and carbon footprint are due to the operations and activities of the different terminals. On average, the Port of Sines consumes 422,378.45 MWh/year and has a carbon footprint of 224.63185 tCO₂eq/year. The analysis reveals a non-linear relationship between energy and carbon footprint, due to the different port activities, emphasizing the need for tailored decarbonization strategies for each terminal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation)

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30 pages, 3786 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Governmental Functions in Establishing Alternative Marine Fuel Supply Chains in Shipping Decarbonization Governance

by Wenwen Li, Zhengliang Hu and Xinqiang Chen

Sustainability 2025, 17(7), 2808; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072808 - 21 Mar 2025

Viewed by 243

Abstract

This study aims at exploring the importance of the governmental functions in establishing alternative marine fuel (AMF) supply chains at the early stage of shipping decarbonization and providing proposals of the main measures to be taken by governments. It first analyzes the significance of these supply chains based on the adaptability analysis of AMFs from the perspective of their respective potential in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, costs, safety, and availability, mainly by way of a literature review. Then, the importance of governmental functions in establishing these supply chains is probed based on the features of these supply chains and by applying the theory of economics concerning the relationship between the government and the market. Finally, four specific measures to be taken by governments in establishing these supply chains are explored and proposed. The findings of a questionnaire investigation conducted in China are cited in support of the theoretical analysis. The main conclusions of this study reflecting its main contribution thereof are: AMF supply chains are crucial in achieving shipping decarbonization goals; government intervention is needed to rectify the disadvantages of market mechanisms in establishing these supply chains; as the main measures, governments need to develop strategic plans and policies, take appropriate market-based measures of tax incentives, fiscal subsidies, and/or other economic incentives, provide administrative guidance, and enhance international cooperation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation)

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23 pages, 5109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exposures to Particles and Volatile Organic Compounds across Multiple Transportation Modes

by Nick Molden, Carl Hemming, Felix Leach, James G. Levine, Karl Ropkins and William Bloss

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4005; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054005 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3208

Abstract

Travellers may be exposed to a wide range of different air pollutants during their journeys. In this study, personal exposures within vehicles and during active travel were tested in real-world conditions across nine different transport modes on journeys from London Paddington to Oxford City Centre, in the United Kingdom. The modes tested covered cycling, walking, buses, coaches, trains and private cars. Such exposures are relevant to questions of traveller comfort and safety in the context of airborne diseases such as COVID-19 and a growing awareness of the health, safety and productivity effects of interior air quality. Pollutants measured were particle number (PN), particle mass (PM), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), using devices carried on or with the traveller, with pumped sampling. Whilst only a relatively small number of journeys were assessed—inviting future work to assess their statistical significance—the current study highlights where a particular focus on exposure reduction should be placed. Real-time results showed that exposures were dominated by short-term spikes in ambient concentrations, such as when standing on a train platform, or at the roadside. The size distribution of particles varied significantly according to the situation. On average, the coach created the highest exposures overall; trains had mixed performance, while private cars and active transport typically had the lowest exposures. Sources of pollutants included both combustion products entering the vehicle and personal care products from other passengers, which were judged from desk research on the most likely source of each individual compound. Although more exposed to exhaust emissions while walking or cycling, the active traveller had the benefit of rapid dilution of these pollutants in the open air. An important variable in determining total exposure was the journey length, where the speed of the private car was advantageous compared to the relative slowness of the coach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation)

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30 pages, 756 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Meta-Analysis as Early Evidence on the Particulate Emissions Impact of EURO VI on Battery Electric Bus Fleet Transitions

by Jon Tivey, Huw C. Davies, James G. Levine, Josias Zietsman, Suzanne Bartington, Sergio Ibarra-Espinosa and Karl Ropkins

Sustainability 2023, 15(2), 1522; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021522 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2960

Abstract

The current generation of Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) policies are designed to accelerate the transition away from conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicle fleets. However, the current focus on zero exhaust emissions and the lack of more detailed guidance regarding Non-Exhaust Emissions (NEEs) may mean that some of the trade-offs in transitioning to, e.g., Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) fleets may be missed by many in the commercial sector. Here, as part of early work on the scoping of the First Bus EURO VI Diesel Vehicle (E6DV) to BEV fleet upgrades, we estimate E6DV total particulate emissions to be ca. 62–85 and 164–213 mg.veh

^{- 1}

.km

^{- 1}

for

P M_{2.5}

and

P M_{10}

, respectively, and that the majority, typically 93–97%, are NEEs. We also discuss the complex interaction between E6DV/BEV properties and estimate potential changes resulting from the transition to BEVs as ranging from a decrease of ca. 2–12% to an increase of ca. 12–50% depending on a combination of weight difference, regenerative brake performance and journey type. Finally, we propose metrics that would allow fleet operators more insight into a wider range of emission outcomes at the scoping stage of a fleet upgrade. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation)

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17 pages, 4935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of COVID-19 Lockdown on Traffic Flow, Active Travel and Gaseous Pollutant Concentrations; Implications for Future Emissions Control Measures in Oxford, UK

by Ajit Singh, Tianjiao Guo, Tony Bush, Pedro Abreu, Felix C. P. Leach, Brian Stacey, George Economides, Ruth Anderson, Stuart Cole, G. Neil Thomas, Francis D. Pope and Suzanne E. Bartington

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16182; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316182 - 4 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2705

Abstract

The COVID-19 lockdown provided a unique opportunity to test the impacts of changes in travel patterns on air quality and the environment. Therefore, this study provides insights into the impacts of COVID-19 emergency public health “lockdown” measures upon traffic flow, active travel and gaseous pollutant concentrations (NO, NO₂ and O₃) in Oxford city centre during 2020 using time-series analysis and linear regression methods. Comparisons of traffic counts indicated pronounced changes in traffic volume associated with national lockdown periods. Car volume reduced by 77.5% (statistically significant) during the first national lockdown, with lesser changes in goods vehicles and public transport (bus) activity during the second lockdown. Cycle flow reduced substantively during the first lockdown only. These changes resulted in a reduction in nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations of 75.1% and 47.4%, respectively, at roadside, and 71.8% and 34.1% at urban background during the first lockdown period. In contrast ozone (O₃) concentrations increased at the urban background site by 22.3% during the first lockdown period, with no significant changes in gaseous concentrations during the second lockdown at either roadside or urban background location. The diurnal pattern of peak mean NO and NO₂ concentrations reduced in magnitude and was shifted approximately 2 h earlier in the morning and 2 h later in the evening (roadside) and 3 h earlier in the morning and 3 h later in the evening (urban background). Our findings provide an example of how gaseous air quality in urban environments could respond to future urban traffic restrictions, suggesting benefits from reductions in peak and daily NO₂ exposures may be offset by health harms arising from increases in ground level O₃ concentrations in the summer months. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optimising Air Quality and Health Benefits of Transport Decarbonisation)

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