Net CO2-emission effects of relocating freight facilities to free up land for urban development in central and semi-central urban areas

Abstract

This article investigates net CO2 emissions effects of relocating freight facilities (wholesale warehouses) away from central areas and replacing them with more area-effective activities (mix of dwellings and workplaces) that would otherwise have been located more peripherally. This development is ongoing in many urban regions, and it is often part of land use strategies aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from transport. However, whether this strategy is efficient has not been investigated much. The study contributes empirical research on two Norwegian regions, where net differences in total CO2 emissions between two scenarios were analysed. In Scenario 1, wholesale warehouses have remained in their central location, and new dwellings and workplaces have been developed in relevant peripheral areas. In Scenario 2, centrally located warehouses have relocated to peripheral areas, and they have been replaced by dwellings and workplaces. The main finding is that relocating warehouses away from central and semi-central urban areas, to make land available for dwellings and workplaces, results in reduced net transport-related CO2 emissions. The effects are stronger when the warehouses were originally more centrally located and the alternative locations of dwellings and workplaces are more peripheral. If warehouse relocations cause detours, the effects are somewhat reduced.