Urban congestion is a pressing challenge, driving up emissions and compromising transport efficiency. Advances in big-data collection and processing now enable adaptive traffic signals, offering a promising strategy for congestion mitigation. In our study of China’s 100 most congested cities, big-data empowered adaptive traffic signals reduced peak-hour trip times by 11% and off-peak by 8%, yielding an estimated annual CO₂ reduction of 31.73 million tonnes. Despite an annual implementation cost of US$1.48 billion, societal benefits—including CO₂ reduction, time savings, and fuel efficiency—amount to US$31.82 billion. Widespread adoption will require enhanced data collection and processing systems, underscoring the need for policy and technological development. Our findings highlight the transformative potential of big-data-driven adaptive systems to alleviate congestion and promote urban sustainability. Big-data empowered traffic signal control in China can reduce vehicle trip times, creating potential reduction of 31.73 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 emissions annually and US$31.8 billion benefits per year.
China already “solved” it with the one child policy. They will have the most massive population decline ever in the coming decades. It will probably destroy their economy.
It’s not that there should be a solution per se, more that it impacts their emissions per capita. When person density goes up average per person emissions go down, simple as.
One issue with that is China is still a heavily bike and moped driven country. The issue is when more of their population is able to afford cars. So they could still “catch up”.
Doesn’t China emit like half the amount of carbon per capita compared to the US?
China has a very large capita.
What’s your solution to that
China already “solved” it with the one child policy. They will have the most massive population decline ever in the coming decades. It will probably destroy their economy.
It’s not that there should be a solution per se, more that it impacts their emissions per capita. When person density goes up average per person emissions go down, simple as.
Yes, and they are by far the best in green energy
https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-record-surge-of-clean-energy-in-2024-halts-chinas-co2-rise/ And it would be even worse for the US and others if they would produce all the stuff they out now outsource to China.
It’s a typical Chinophobe ‘at what cost’ commenter.
There is literally nothing they can do right.
One issue with that is China is still a heavily bike and moped driven country. The issue is when more of their population is able to afford cars. So they could still “catch up”.