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Title: EFFECT OF SHARED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS ON URBAN GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: CASE OF RIGA
EFFECT OF SHARED ELECTRIC SCOOTERS ON URBAN GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONS: CASE OF RIGA

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Aivars Rubenis; Aigars Laizans; Andra Zvirbule
10.5593/sgem2022V/4.2/s19.31
10.5593/sgem2022V/4.2
1314-2704
978-619-7603-50-7
English
22
4.2
•    Prof. DSc. Oleksandr Trofymchuk, UKRAINE 
•    Prof. Dr. hab. oec. Baiba Rivza, LATVIA
Air Pollution and Climate Change
Because of the electric propulsion, electric scooters could be a potential way how to decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in urban transportation sector; however, recent research has cast doubt on that. This article focuses on the effect the electric scooter use has on CO2 emissions by examining the electric scooter trip data obtained during 2021 scooter season in Riga city. As shared scooters routinely replace already existing modes of transportation, the article analyses the effect which this replacement has on net CO2 emissions in the city. We argue that not all replacement modes will bring actual decrease of CO2 emissions. The results indicate that most of the shared e-scooter trips in Riga fall into the 1-2 km distance category, where it replaces not just cars, but also public transportation, walking and cycling, and actually increases CO2 emissions. The article examines the factors contributing to the CO2 emissions and relative impact of each. The results demonstrate that the largest impact comes from the scooter and battery manufacturing, thus scooter lifetime has decisive impact on the overall net CO2 emissions. In addition, this research found fundamental differences between expected scooter lifetime data claimed by shared scooter operators (5 years) and the average reallife data (156 days). It results in shared e-scooters creating additional 239.9 tonnes CO2 in Riga, and minimum scooter lifetime should be at least 5 years, for shared scooters to become CO2 neutral. This study aims to contribute to transportation literature by demonstrating net CO2 emission calculation methodology as well as empirical evidence on e-scooter trips in North-Eastern Europe region and to help local authorities to make decisions on reaching environmental targets in transportation sector.
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This work has been supported by the European Fund for Reconstruction and Development within the project No. 1.2.1.1./18/A/001 research project "Study for the Development of Electric Scooter Charging Sharing Infrastructure System" in cooperation with the Energy and Transport Competence Centre for the 4th stage of activity 1.2.1.1 "Support for the development of new products and technologies within the competence centres" of the operational programme "Growth and Employment".
conference
https://doi.org/10.5593/sgem2022V/4.2/s19.31
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Proceedings of 22nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2022
22nd International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2022, 06-08 December, 2022
Proceedings Paper
STEF92 Technology
International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM
SWS Scholarly Society; Acad Sci Czech Republ; Latvian Acad Sci; Polish Acad Sci; Serbian Acad Sci and Arts; Natl Acad Sci Ukraine; Natl Acad Sci Armenia; Sci Council Japan; European Acad Sci, Arts and Letters; Acad Fine Arts Zagreb Croatia; Croatian Acad Sci and Arts; Acad Sci Moldova; Montenegrin Acad Sci and Arts; Georgian Acad Sci; Acad Fine Arts and Design Bratislava; Turkish Acad Sci.
247-258
06-08 December, 2022
website
8848
CO2 emissions, Dockless E-scooter, Micromobility, Urban transport