Efficiency & Reduced Demand
Efficiency & Reduced Demand
Cleaner Journeys: Moving Smarter By Boosting Efficiency and Reducing Demand
We’re a world on the go — and that comes with steep climate costs. Transportation is responsible for nearly a quarter of global emissions, and rising. We can’t and won’t stop moving — so how do we cut emissions? Besides sustainable fuels and vehicle electrification, reducing demand and optimizing efficiency are important avenues to cleaner transport. The good news: some of the most powerful solutions don’t require waiting for new fuels or fleets — they come from using what we already have, just smarter. AI-driven logistics, contrail avoidance software, and telepresence technologies are some promising paths forward — and who knows what new approaches could be waiting in the wings? One thing is clear: innovation in this area will ensure we can continue to move people and goods without driving the climate off course.
Emissions at stake in 2050: 9.4 Gigatons
Innovation Imperatives
Innovation Imperatives
Critical needs that can help accelerate the path to net zero
Contrail Management
Create route-planning systems to control aviation contrail warming effects
Contrails — ice clouds formed by aircraft — can trap heat in the atmosphere and significantly amplify aviation’s climate impact. New route-planning tools that integrate weather data, satellite observations, and AI could help pilots adjust altitude or flight paths to avoid the atmospheric conditions that generate the most warming contrails. Scaling these systems would allow airlines to reduce the non-CO₂ climate effects of flying with minimal changes to infrastructure or aircraft.
Lightweighting
Develop materials, designs, and manufacturing processes to reduce weight and drag for lower energy consumption across all forms of transportation
Heavier vehicles require more energy to move, whether by road, rail, sea, or air. Innovations in lightweight materials, aerodynamic design, and advanced manufacturing can reduce vehicle weight and drag without compromising safety or performance. This requires a dual focus: developing advanced lightweight materials like composites and alloys, while simultaneously pioneering low-carbon manufacturing and recycling methods for those same materials. This holistic approach ensures that the next generation of planes, ships, and trucks will be designed for the lowest possible climate impact from cradle to grave.
Travel Alternatives
Advance virtual technologies to reduce travel demand
Business travel and commuting remain major drivers of transport emissions, but not all journeys are necessary. Next-generation telepresence technologies — such as holograms, immersive virtual reality, and ultra-high-definition conferencing — can replace in-person meetings with realistic remote experiences. As these systems become more seamless, affordable, and widespread, they hold the potential to reduce travel demand, cutting emissions while saving time and costs for individuals and businesses.
Moonshots
Moonshots
High-risk, high-reward innovations that could radically reshape our path to net zero
Advanced Airframe & Ship Design
Develop new aircraft and ship designs to make long-haul electric travel possible
Today’s planes and ships are designed around fossil fuels, limiting how far clean alternatives can go. Advanced designs — such as ultra-light airframes, distributed electric propulsion systems, novel hull shapes, and hybrid architectures — could make long-haul travel viable with clean electricity, hydrogen, or other low-emissions fuels. While still highly experimental, breakthroughs here would redefine aviation and shipping, enabling global connectivity without the carbon cost.
Ultra-High-Speed Ground Transport
Create systems matching or exceeding aircraft speeds
Air travel dominates long-distance passenger transport — but it comes with a hefty climate toll. Ultra-high-speed ground systems like hyperloop or maglev rail envision aircraft-level speeds with a fraction of the emissions, moving people quickly between hubs while avoiding airport congestion. Such systems could transform global mobility — making clean, rapid intercity travel a reality.
Tech Categories
Tech Categories
Groupings of climate technologies
| Cluster Name | Readiness | |
|---|---|---|
| Lightweight Materials, Engines & Aerodynamic Designs | Commercial | |
Lightweight materials, engines, and aerodynamic designs make vehicle parts more efficient. Together, lightweight materials and aerodynamic designs reduce vehicle weight and air resistance so that cars, trucks, trains, and aircraft consume significantly less energy in acceleration and operation. Powertrain design optimizes the transfer of energy from an engine or motor to wheels or other moving components to enhance efficiency. | ||
| Public & Shared Transit Systems | Commercial | |
Public and shared transit systems move multiple passengers in single vehicles or enable shared use of transportation resources, thereby reducing per-person energy consumption. | ||
| Reducing Contrail Formation | Lab | |
Reducing contrail formation, the visible condensation trails that can trap heat in the atmosphere when planes fly through specific humidity and temperature conditions. Planes can avoid them through adjustments in flight altitude and route planning. | ||
| Route & Logistics Optimization | Commercial | |
Route and logistics optimization uses advanced algorithms and real-time data to plan the most efficient paths for ground vehicles, aircraft, and ships. | ||
| Teleworking & Digital Solutions | Commercial | |
Teleworking and digital solutions replace physical travel with virtual alternatives. They include both existing technologies and next-generation holograms and virtual reality. |
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