ABSTRACT
Transportation systems are linked with a wide range of environmental considerations, from the global to the local. Environmental impacts are related to transport modes, their energy supply systems, their emissions and the infrastructures over which they operate. Transportation and energy is a standard physics application where giving momentum to a mass (passengers, vehicles, cargo, etc.) requires a proportional amount of energy. Transportation fuels based on renewable energy sources might not be competitive with petroleum fuels unless there are significant price increases as well as significant technological improvements. The environmental impact of transportation on soil quality particularly concerns soil erosion and soil contamination. The costs of environmental externalities can be considered from economic, social and environmental dimensions. Automobile dependence is a situation that is often related to an unsustainable urban environment. The issue of sustainable transport remains elusive, since to start with any economic activity, including transportation, has negative environmental impacts.
