Crossing Borders and Expanding Modal Shift Measures: Effects on Mode Choice and Emissions from Freight Transport in the Nordics

Daniel Ruben Pinchasik, Inger Beate Hovi, Christian Svendsen Mjøsund, Stein Erik Grønland, Erik Fridell and Martin Jerksjö
Additional contact information
Daniel Ruben Pinchasik: Institute of Transport Economics, Department of Economics, N-0349 Oslo, Norway
Inger Beate Hovi: Institute of Transport Economics, Department of Economics, N-0349 Oslo, Norway
Christian Svendsen Mjøsund: Institute of Transport Economics, Department of Economics, N-0349 Oslo, Norway
Stein Erik Grønland: Sitma AS, N-0213 Oslo, Norway
Erik Fridell: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Department of Transport and Department of Mobility, 41133 Gothenburg, Sweden
Martin Jerksjö: IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Department of Transport and Department of Mobility, 41133 Gothenburg, Sweden

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-23

Abstract: Considering the underachievement on modal shift and environmental objectives for freight transport, scholars and policy makers recurrently ask how more road freight can be shifted to rail and waterborne transport. The current study simulates transport and modal distribution effects for several scenarios in which modal shift policy measures are strengthened, expanded, combined, and harmonized across borders in the Nordics. Found transport effects were then used in an environmental model to assess implications for energy use and emissions of CO 2,eq , NOx, and particulate matter, gaining insights into which policy measures are more effective or complement each other, and whether international harmonization might increase effectiveness, and modal shift. From our simulations, a Norwegian ecobonus scheme for rail yields larger modal shift away from road than a similar ecobonus for sea transport. Facilitating longer freight trains yields more modal shift but has high policy costs. Effects of harmonizing policies across Nordic countries vary but can be strengthened by combining different measures. However, even for scenarios with strong policy measures, reductions in CO 2,eq emissions do not exceed 3.6% in 2030 while sometimes increasing local air pollution. Modal shift policy should therefore not exclusively be regarded as environmental strategy, although it may contribute to other policy objectives.

Keywords: modal shift; intermodal; freight transport; emissions; environment; truck; policy measures; harmonization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/894/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/3/894/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:3:p:894-:d:312927

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().