Data is a catalyst for informed action, enabling cities to design, implement, and refine their sustainable mobility strategies.
Cities across Europe are setting ambitious climate goals, many aiming for climate neutrality by 2030 or 2050. A significant part of this challenge lies in reducing emissions from urban transport, one of the most complex and impactful sectors to address. It depends on access to reliable mobility data and the ability to interpret and apply it effectively. Without consistent, transparent information on how people move and how much carbon their journeys produce, it is difficult for cities to assess the impact of their efforts or adjust their strategies.
Access to reliable transport emissions data can help validate assumptions, improve greenhouse gas inventories, and track the effectiveness of policies over time. Yet for many cities, collecting and using this kind of data remains a challenge.
Turning mobility data into action
Mobility-related emissions are often one of the largest contributors to a city’s overall carbon footprint. Metrics on areas such as modal share, travel distances, the ratio of inbound vs. outbound trips are essential for:
- Understanding behavioural trends and evolving travel patterns
- Targeting investments in public transport, cycling infrastructure, and low-emission zones
- Evaluating progress against local, national, and EU-wide climate targets
- Prioritising interventions with the greatest environmental and social impact
To make use of this mobility data, cities need tools that are accessible, reliable, and suited to their local context.
Supporting cities with Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE)
At the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), we empower our Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) to develop solutions that tackle Europe’s most pressing challenges. One example of this is the work of EIT Urban Mobility, which in 2024 partnered with Google’s Sustainability team to help cities better harness the power of data in the transition to low-emission mobility.
The collaboration focused on raising awareness about the Environmental Insights Explorer (EIE), a free platform that provides up-to-date, modelled data on transportation emissions for thousands of cities worldwide.
Using anonymised and aggregated mobility data, drawn from sources such as Google Maps and refined through international methodologies like CURB, EIE delivers annual estimates of CO2 emissions from urban transport. Cities can explore their modal split, kilometres travelled, and year-on-year emission trends, as well as analyse inbound, outbound, and in-boundary travel. This evidence base can complement local inventories, strengthen climate action plans, and guide investment in sustainable mobility solutions.
Through its city network, EIT Urban Mobility engaged more than 60 municipalities, offering webinars, one-on-one meetings, and expert sessions to demonstrate how EIE can be applied in practice. Over 30 cities actively took part, sharing their needs and challenges. Their feedback confirmed a clear message: while cities recognise the value of data for driving climate action, many need tailored guidance and support to fully exploit these opportunities.
This collaboration illustrates how the EIT Community helps cities and citizens across Europe benefit from innovation and knowledge exchange, bringing together global partners and local stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.
Mobility data in action
A highlight of this collaboration came at Tomorrow.Mobility World Congress 2024, where EIT Urban Mobility, together with Google’s Sustainability team, organised a session titled “The Power of Mobility Data for Cities.” More than 50 participants and representatives from 15 cities joined to discuss how emissions and mobility data can underpin effective urban strategies.
Speakers from Google, i2Cat, IMEC, and pioneering cities such as São Luiz do Maranhão (Brazil) shared how tools ranging from AI-powered modelling to real-time traffic management are enabling smarter decisions. The session fostered productive conversations and cross-city exchange on the use of emissions data to accelerate sustainable urban mobility.
Looking ahead
As Europe moves towards its climate neutrality goals, reliable and accessible data must become a cornerstone of urban policymaking. Transport emissions data, in particular, is critical for designing, implementing, and evaluating effective climate measures.
Through EIT Urban Mobility, the EIT Community will continue to support cities in this transition – not only by raising awareness of tools like Google’s Environmental Insights Explorer, but also by fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge across borders, and helping cities translate data into practical climate action..
