Introduction
Movement is a constant feature of modern life. Commuting to work, transporting goods, accessing services, and maintaining supply chains all depend on energy. These journeys are often discussed in terms of emissions or fuel types, yet energy use in transport extends far beyond carbon calculations alone.
Transport energy systems influence how cities function, how resources are consumed, and how environmental conditions shape health outcomes. Every journey reflects decisions about infrastructure, vehicle design, land use, and energy supply. When these systems are inefficient or overburdened, the consequences ripple through air quality, noise exposure, and energy demand.
If movement is unavoidable, how can transport systems reduce pressure on the energy networks that support everyday life?
Energy Use Across Transport Networks
Transport is one of the largest global consumers of energy. Road vehicles, aviation, shipping, and rail systems all rely on continuous fuel supply and supporting infrastructure. While attention often focuses on tailpipe emissions, the full energy footprint includes vehicle manufacturing, fuel production, maintenance, and infrastructure operation.
Road transport alone accounts for a substantial share of final energy consumption worldwide. Congestion, inefficient routing, and vehicle idling further increase demand without improving mobility. These inefficiencies translate into higher energy use per journey and greater strain on supply systems [1].
Urban form plays a critical role. Cities designed around long travel distances and limited alternatives increase reliance on energy-intensive transport modes, locking in high demand over time.
Transport Energy Systems and Health
Transport energy systems affect health through multiple pathways. Fuel combustion contributes to air pollution associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Traffic noise influences stress levels and sleep quality, while road design affects injury risk.
Energy demand also shapes exposure patterns. High-traffic corridors concentrate pollution, while long commuting times increase cumulative exposure. Scientific studies consistently link transport-related air pollution to increased morbidity and mortality, particularly in densely populated areas [2].
Beyond direct exposure, transport energy demand influences environmental conditions that shape health indirectly. Energy production for transport contributes to climate-related changes that affect heat exposure, extreme weather, and healthcare demand.
Infrastructure, Efficiency, and System Strain
Transport efficiency depends heavily on infrastructure design. Road networks, public transport systems, logistics hubs, and charging or refuelling facilities determine how much energy is required to move people and goods.
Inefficient infrastructure increases energy demand even when cleaner technologies are introduced. For example, electric vehicles reduce tailpipe emissions but still rely on energy-intensive networks. Without coordinated planning, technological shifts may relocate rather than reduce system pressure.
Research shows that integrated transport planning—combining infrastructure design, demand management, and energy supply—can significantly reduce total energy use while maintaining mobility [3]. These gains come from system-level changes rather than individual behaviour alone.
Rethinking Everyday Movement
Not all journeys carry the same energy cost. Mode choice, route design, and trip frequency all influence demand. Public transport, active travel, and efficient logistics systems move more people and goods using less energy per unit of movement.
Technological tools such as real-time traffic management, digital logistics platforms, and energy-aware routing support more efficient use of existing infrastructure. These approaches reduce unnecessary energy use without limiting mobility.
A One Health Approach
A One Health approach places transport energy systems within a broader network linking environmental conditions, infrastructure, and health outcomes. Energy used for transport affects air quality, land use, and resource extraction, all of which influence human and animal health.
Reducing energy demand in transport supports healthier environments by lowering pollution levels and easing pressure on natural systems. It also strengthens the resilience of energy infrastructure that healthcare and essential services depend on.
By recognising transport as part of interconnected energy–environment–health systems, One Health encourages planning that addresses root drivers of demand rather than isolated impacts [4].
Conclusion
Every journey carries an energy cost that extends beyond fuel consumption alone. Transport energy systems shape environmental conditions, infrastructure performance, and health outcomes in ways that are often overlooked.
By improving efficiency at the system level, transport can meet mobility needs while reducing pressure on energy networks and the environments they support. Sustainable movement begins not with a single vehicle, but with the systems that guide every journey.
References
- International Energy Agency (IEA) (2023) Transport. Paris: International Energy Agency. Available at: https://www.iea.org/topics/
- Khreis, H. et al. (2017) ‘Exposure to traffic-related air pollution and risk of development of childhood asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Environment International, 100, pp. 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2016.11.012
- Banister, D. (2011) ‘Cities, mobility and climate change’, Journal of Transport Geography, 19(6), pp. 1538–1546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2011.03.009
- Whitmee, S. et al. (2015) ‘Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch’, The Lancet, 386(10007), pp. 1973–2028. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60901-1
