Urban Morphology, Transport Demand and Climate Change: A Review of Conceptual Issues and Empirical Evidence

City designs influence transportation networks, available transport modes and ultimately travel behaviour. Within the context of Green House Gas Emissions leading to climate change, available transport modes are probably the most significant factor. Globally, road transport is considered a major contributor to transport emissions and this mode accounts for a significant share of movements in many developing countries including Nigeria. The study attempts to relate the morphology of cities to existing transport systems and thus draw implications for transport emission induced climate change. The paper adopts a case study approach. The sample cities (Lagos, Shanghai and New York) are drawn to achieve a spread in global economies-developing, emerging and developed economies. The analysis is largely descriptive and relates city designs and transport planning practices to real and potential emissions. Emerging and developed economies appear to be making progress in mitigating transport induced climate change. This is being achieved by prioritising mass transit modes which are more efficient in terms of energy use and by implementing fundamental land use planning policies. In developing countries, mass transit modes are still inadequate and the private car’s modal share of vehicle fleet is enormous. These private cars are inefficient energy users because they are low capacity vehicles which offer higher emissions per capita of passenger moved. It is seen that the morphology of cities influences the available transport systems. Where land use planning is fundamentally deficient, adaptation methods will include the need to patronize technologically improved vehicles, but more practically, to prioritize mass transit.