Urban Mobility Policies

Many cities are clogged with traffic, a problem that will only get worse as cities grow and the world continues to urbanize. In 2010, 76 percent of people in developed countries and 46 percent of people in developing countries lived in urban areas; by 2050, these percentages are projected to grow to 86 percent and 64 percent, respectively.1 Traffic congestion in cities causes severe impacts on residents and on society at large, including increased greenhouse gas and conventional pollutant emissions, lost time and productivity, and increased transportation costs. Infrastructure is long lived, so poor choices made today will set energy use patterns and affect residents for generations to come.