Navigating Green Transportation in Urban Agglomerations: A Refined Approach for Carbon Emissions Assessment

Rapid urbanization has expanded urban agglomerations, escalating carbon emissions from increased transportation needs. These agglomerations have distinct multi-modal transportation systems. Analyzing their carbon footprints and eco-friendly transportation evolution is essential for sustainability. However, research in this domain is limited. This research refines emissions estimation methods, introducing models tailored for urban agglomerations. An evaluation framework for green transportation detailing a computational method for future policies is proposed. The research highlights primary transportation structures and energy consumption. Using a “bottom-up” approach, carbon estimation models for inter- and intra-city transportation are drafted. Assessment indicators are redefined by merging the DPSIR model with urban metrics, forming five main modules with 19 indicators. Using the Regression Random Forest method and focusing on the Yangtze River Delta in China, the link between annual emissions and these indicators is examined, providing a theoretical analysis approach for general cases.