Environmental Impacts of Travel

Travel has negative effects on the local environment, including air pollution, noise, land use, and water pollution. These effects have implications for human health and well-being. The emission of greenhouse gases by some transport modes also contributes to climate change, with possible impacts on the long-term sustainability of the planet. Technological progress has mitigated some [Page 428]of the environmental effects of travel, but the improvements have been offset by the continuous growth in travel demand. There is a need for governments to adopt policies to reduce car and air travel and promote modes of transportation with lower environmental impact.