Around one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transport   , with by far the largest contributor being road traffic. Road travel accounts for 75% of transport emissions, with 45% coming from passenger vehicles (cars, buses and motorbikes) and the remainder coming from freight lorries   .

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If you look at the carbon footprint of different types of transport per km travelled then domestic flights are the worst offenders, followed closely by petrol and diesel cars. In contrast, rail travel has a very low carbon footprint so for longer journeys taking the train is the best option. As an example, if you take the Eurostar to France instead of a short-haul flight you would cut your journey's carbon footprint by 94%   .

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Replacing car journeys with walking, cycling and rail travel is the best way to reduce your transport footprint. Electric vehicles are almost always lower-carbon than petrol or diesel cars, particularly if the electricity comes from renewables. However, around a third of the total emissions for a car come from its manufacture   , so unless you drive a gas-guzzling monster then you should keep your car on the road for as long as possible.

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