Transport accounts for around 23% of energy related emissions – a figure that is even higher in auto-dependent states and countries. For example, in California the transport proportion is 37% and since the fossil fuel sector defeated the addition of fossil fuel reduction targets for 2030 in the state’s GHG reduction planning, that is likely to rise. In Washington State, the availability …
International transport and sustainability community shares conclusions about COP-21
At the conclusion of COP21 and on the heels of the Paris Agreement, the SLoCaT Partnership would like to offer some closing thoughts to assess the events of the past two weeks and how we view the path ahead toward COP22 Marrakech for a number of key topics. See: http://ppmc-cop21.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/COP21-Final-Premiminary-Report-SLoCaT.pdf. They also noted a number of transport references in various …
Transport solutions for efficiency, decarbonization, and co-benefits for the public, by Todd Litman
The COP21 United Nations Conference on Climate Change took place in Paris from November 30 to December 11. Several organizations have formed the Paris Process on Mobility and Climate to highlight the role that transportation policy reforms can play in achieving emission reduction targets. Its theme is We Are Transport, which emphasizes that we all affect and are affected by transport, and so we can all contribute …
Tailpipe GHG emissions at 29% in the US (plus another 6% for fuel mining and refining, manufacture, infrastructure)
The magnitude of climate change beyond the next few decades depends primarily on the quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions humans produce globally. Achieving substantial reductions in GHG emissions is possible, but will require widespread utilization of low-carbon energy, improvements in energy efficiency, and conservation measures that reduce demand for energy. Transportation agencies can help develop climate solutions by implementing …
Obama proposes $10/barrel fee on oil, funds for $300 billion in public infrastructure
President Barack Obama is proposing a $10-a-barrel tax on oil to fund clean energy infrastructure, begin to transition off oil and “speed us along the way to a 100% clean energy future,” said Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune in response to the announcement. The proposal will be part of the final budget request to be released next week and …
200 mile plus range EVs for mass market prices
Two of the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) producers say that they will soon deliver 200+ mile range EVs at a game-changing price of $30,000 or less — including tax incentives. Until now, EVs have not been considered a mass-market consumer vehicle in the United States, but with battery prices continuing their unexpectedly rapid price drop, both General Motors and …
Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales are exploding. Annual global sales are up tenfold in just five years
Plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) sales are exploding. Annual global sales are up tenfold in just five years — from a mere 45,000 in 2011 to a record 448,000 last year. The United States is probably the toughest market for EVs in the world since 1) we don’t have a significant gasoline tax and 2) we have a massive infrastructure of …
Getting high level buy-in for sustainable system change – 6 top tips
1. Be realistic about how many stakeholders you can engage It can take serious effort to just schedule in a short meeting with a leader. And so whilst it is tempting to want all leaders to understand your plan, focusing on winning over the essential person, for your immediate initiative, can be most effective. For example, if reducing travel through …
Integrated Mobility Payments (all modes) Are The Future Of Transit
Unified pricing structures—paying one price for an entire journey rather than paying separate fares for each mode of transport used can be a challenge, but there are promising examples. Singapore’s public transit has been operating since 2010 with a distance-based fare system that does not penalize travelers for using multiple modes in one journey. Germany’s Moovel and Qixxit are two mobile …
Lowering EU CO2 emissions due to transport by 45 percent (3/4 of way to 2050 climate target)
The EU’s 2011 White Paper on the future of transport set the objective that the majority of European passenger and freight transport over medium and long distances should take place using the environmentally-friendly transport modes of rail and waterways by 2050. At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions from transport should be reduced by 60 percent compared to 2005. Together …