Transport CO2 emissions, drivers, and mitigation: an empirical investigation in India

India has one of the world’s largest transport networks, with the dominant share being road transportation. India’s transport sector consumes oil products for more than 95% of its energy needs and is a significant contributor to environmental deterioration in urban areas. Therefore, we examine the driving factors of transport CO2 emissions in India, incorporating road transport energy, economic growth, industrialization, urbanization, oil prices, and road infrastructure, over the period 1980 to 2015. The findings indicate that economic growth and road sector energy use cause an upsurge in transport emissions. Likewise, industrialization and road infrastructure stimulate transport emissions. Urbanization mitigates transport emissions, while oil prices have no influence on transport emissions. One-way causality is shown from economic growth, urbanization, and road sector energy to transport emissions. Finally, suitable policy implications are proposed to reduce transport CO2 emissions for a sustainable environment.