Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
📋 In This Article
Transport accounts for approximately 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In India's rapidly urbanising landscape, the choices made about how to move people — cycles, buses, metros, EVs, or private cars — will determine city emissions for generations.
Personal Transport Carbon Footprint
A petrol car emits approximately 170g CO₂ per km. A CNG auto emits 90g. A bus, per passenger, emits 20–40g. The Delhi Metro emits under 10g per passenger-km. Cycling and walking are zero direct emissions.
- Walking/cycling: 0g CO₂
- Metro/suburban rail: 5–15g CO₂/km
- City bus: 15–40g CO₂/km
- Two-wheeler: 50–80g CO₂/km
- Car (petrol): 140–200g CO₂/km
- Domestic flight: 150–200g CO₂/km (per passenger)
Switching to Electric Vehicles
India's EV market is growing rapidly. For two-wheelers — the most common personal vehicle — electric scooters are already cheaper per km than petrol alternatives and require minimal maintenance. EV cars are viable for city use but charging infrastructure is still developing.
Using Public Transport
Choosing the metro, bus, or train over private cars is the highest-impact transport decision an urban Indian can make — it removes one car from the road and reduces per-trip emissions by 5–10×. Monthly metro passes, pooled auto-rickshaws, and cycle-to-metro combinations make this practical.
Air Travel and Long-Distance Journeys
Flights are 3–4× more carbon-intensive than train travel per passenger km. India's rail network is excellent for distances up to 1,000 km — choosing trains over flights for these journeys makes a significant difference. When flying is necessary, choose direct flights (take-off and landing are the most emissions-intensive phases).
Conclusion
Your transport choices are one of your highest-impact personal climate decisions. Shift one car journey per week to cycling, metro, or electric — and the cumulative effect over a year is substantial.