Impact of the Mobility Restrictions in the Palestinian Territory on the Population and the Environment

Abstract

This paper analyzes the mobility restrictions in the Palestinian territory on the population and the environment. The literature review shows a scientific concern for this issue, with an emphasis on describing mobility barriers and the severe conditions experienced by the population due to these barriers as well as the impact of mobility restrictions on employment opportunities. On the other hand, the literature review also shows a deficit in quantitative analysis of the effects of mobility restrictions on the environment, particularly on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to fill this gap through a quantitative analysis by including data collection about mobility restrictions, using network analysis to determine the impact of these restrictions on inter-urban mobility, and analysis of the resulting energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The results show that mobility restrictions induce a general increase in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The average value of this increase is about 358% for diesel vehicles and 275% for gasoline vehicles.