While transport electrification has grown rapidly in many OECD regions, remote regions are still lagging
The transport sector will play a key role in the transition towards achieving net zero emissions. It currently accounts for 23% of total GHG emissions in OECD countries (excluding international shipping and aviation). About 88% of these emissions originate from road transport. This transition will involve shifting to less carbon-intensive travel options, such as walking, cycling and public transport, and adopting alternative technologies such as electric vehicles (ITF, 2023). A territorial approach is crucial, as rural and urban areas have distinct transportation needs and infrastructure.
Ground transport emissions were more than three times higher per capita in remote regions than in large metropolitan regions in 2022 (Figure 3.22). As people in remote regions often depend on cars and travel long distances, a higher adoption of electric or hybrid vehicles could certainly contribute to reducing emissions. However, electric and hybrid vehicles currently make up 2.2% of passenger vehicles in these regions, compared to 5.2% in metropolitan regions. Hybrid vehicles, in turn, are four times more common in large metropolitan regions than in remote regions. Capital regions record 2.6 p.p. more electric and hybrid vehicles than the national average (Figure 3.23).
While there are challenges to increasing the use of electric and hybrid vehicles in rural and remote regions, such as fewer charging points due to low population density, many countries have overcome these issues. For example, in Oslo and Viken, Norway, over 30% of vehicles are hybrid or electric; in Northern Norway, the figure is close to 10%. Additionally, in 2022, more than 40% of the vehicles newly registered in most regions in Belgium, Hungary and Switzerland were either hybrid or electric. In regions like Southern Transdanubia, Hungary, and Lake Geneva, Switzerland, over half (53%) of new vehicles were electric or hybrid (Figure 3.24).
Most workers rely mainly on their car for commuting in most OECD FUAs but to a lesser extent in capital cities where public transport, walking or cycling is more widespread. On average, across 858 FUAs with available data, 73% of commuters use their car to go to work, whilst only 20% use low-carbon means of transport (Figure 3.25 and Figure 3.26). Of these, 8% use public transportation, 8% walk and close to 4% commute by bike. In most OECD countries, capital cities have led the shift towards low-carbon modes of transport for commuting. On average, 38% of workers commute there using low-carbon modes of transport, including 26% by public transport. In both Santiago and Valparaiso, Chile, close to 66% of workers use low-carbon modes to get to work, the highest share among FUAs, followed by Geneva, Switzerland, and San Antonio, Chile.
