Determinants analysis of carbon dioxide emissions in passenger and freight transportation sectors in China

To identify the similarities and differences of the role that driving factors playing in carbon dioxide emissions between passenger and freight transportation sectors, this work uses an LMDI (Log-Mean Divisia Index) method to decompose factors that influence carbon dioxide emissions in China's passenger and freight transportation sectors between 1990 and 2015. The results indicate that: (1) Carbon dioxide emissions of passenger and freight transportation underwent growth from 1990 to 2015; (2) Per capita GDP, and population promoted the increase of carbon dioxide emissions for both passenger and freight transportation, and transportation structure promoted the increase of carbon dioxide emissions for freight. Among them the economic factor made the biggest contribution; (3) Activity intensity restrained the increase of carbon dioxide emissions and transportation structure restrained the increase of carbon dioxide emissions for passenger.