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π Planet

The energy transition in transport: what strategies for urban and rural areas?

3 episodes

1

Carbon footprint: how to minimise the impact of everyday journeys outside major cities
2

Why commuter journeys hold a vital key to urban decarbonisation
3

How can we promote cycling in rural areas?

Traffic signal light on city street with urban background

Épisode 1/3

Carbon footprint: how to minimise the impact of everyday journeys outside major cities

On October 21st, 2026

3 min reading time

Aurélien Bigo

Research Associate of the Energy and Prosperity Chair at Institut Louis Bachelier

Key takeaways

In France, road transport is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Passenger journeys, in particular, accounted for 23.5 % of national GHG emissions in 2023.
A key lever for climate action lies in addressing medium-distance daily journeys, those between 10 and up to 100 km from home.
71 % of journeys made by French people are for distances of less than 10 km.
Reducing transport’s carbon footprint requires electrification, but also more fuel-efficient driving (reducing driving speeds, eco-driving, etc.), higher occupancy rates, a shift in transport modes and a reduction in transport demand.

A busy city street with people commuting to work during rush hour

Épisode 2/3

Why commuter journeys hold a vital key to urban decarbonisation

On October 28th, 2026

4 min reading time

Benoit Conti

Geographer and Research Fellow at the City, Mobility, and Transportation Laboratory (LVMT) at Université Gustave Eiffel and École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (IP Paris)

Mariane Thébert

Researcher at the City, Mobility, and Transportation Laboratory (LVMT) at Université Gustave Eiffel and École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (IP Paris)

Manon Eskenazi

Research Fellow at the City, Mobility, and Transportation Laboratory (LVMT) at Université Gustave Eiffel and École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (IP Paris)

Key takeaways

The average distance of commutes has almost tripled, rising from 5 km in 1982 to 14 km in 2019.
These journeys are still largely overlooked in discussions on reducing transport-related GHG emissions.
In some areas, traffic flows are concentrated on certain routes; this is particularly the case between certain central towns, such as Belfort and Montbéliard, or along the Tours–Blois–Orléans route.
Promoting intermodality, i.e. the combination of several modes of transport for a single journey, would be one solution to manage heavy traffic flows.
However, in regions where workers’ commutes are scattered and dispersed, solutions such as public transport, intermodality and express cycle networks are not very effective.

Cycling helmet resting on road bike handlebars with scenic countryside view

Épisode 3/3

How can we promote cycling in rural areas?

On November 10th, 2026

3 min reading time

Julie Chrétien

researcher at the Co-Innovation Lab at École des Ponts

Key takeaways

In France, only 15% of journeys of less than 2 km are made by car in major urban centres; this figure rises to nearly 30% in less densely populated areas.
In the 1960s and 1970s, cycling was a popular mode of transport. However, its usage rate declined as car ownership among households increased.
Several barriers to cycling have been documented: organisational barriers, barriers relating to cycling infrastructure, and barriers to the adoption of cycling in rural areas.
The aim of public policy is not to replace the car with the bicycle, but to reduce the rate of car ownership amongst households to limit car use.

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The energy transition in transport: what strategies for urban and rural areas?

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Why commuter journeys hold a vital key to urban decarbonisation

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How can we promote cycling in rural areas?

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