Why do CO 2 Emissions from Heavy Road Freight Transport Increase in Spite of Higher Fuel Prices?

Most of the CO2 emissions within the transport sector are from passenger cars and heavy trucks. This chapter analyzes how CO2 emissions from heavy road freight transport in Sweden have developed since 1990. Indicators are applied for transport demand, modal split and transport service prices, the logistic efficiency of road freight transport, their energy efficiency and the CO2 intensity of the fuel used. The chapter discusses how different factors and circumstances influence the indicators. It compares the in-Sweden observed price elasticities to modeled elasticities from the literature and the Swedish national freight model. The European Commission has developed a strategy to reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from heavy vehicles. CO2 emissions from freight transport can be reduced by shifts from road to less CO2-intense modes, but shippers minimize their total costs and value quality aspects above transport costs when choosing transport solutions.