Railway expansion reduces carbon emissions by shifting road traffic to railways

Transportation is a major contributor to global carbon emissions due to its reliance on fossil fuels, with railways often cited as a promising solution for emission reduction. However, empirical evidence of railways’ effectiveness in reducing carbon emissions has been limited. Our study reveals that the expansion of Japan’s railway network over the past 30 years has led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, ranging from 97.44 to 110.73 million metric tons.