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Transport and climate change – the challenge

Transport and climate change – the challenge. Stephen Joseph, Director. Starting points. Transport accounts for around 26% of UK CO2: this is set to grow and omits international aviation and shipping Transport occupies much of the public debate

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Transport and climate change – the challenge

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  1. Transport and climate change – the challenge Stephen Joseph, Director

  2. Starting points • Transport accounts for around 26% of UK CO2: this is set to grow and omits international aviation and shipping • Transport occupies much of the public debate • There is action by Government but transport has got off comparatively lightly in the Climate Change Programme etc • The CCP assumed the EU voluntary agreement target for new cars (140 gm/km by 2008) would be met – it won’t

  3. The case for inaction • Cutting transport emissions is expensive per tonne of carbon saved compared with e.g. home insulation • The value of carbon saved is outweighed by the economic benefits of transport • Changing travel patterns is not (politically) possible and Government can’t/shouldn’t influence people’s travel behaviour (the fuel protests etc), so any action should be confined to technology (cleaner fuels and vehicles)

  4. But… • Measures that can reduce transport emissions can be cheap and have good returns • There is now good evidence that travel behaviour can be changed without huge protests • Action to reduce transport’s contribution to climate change will bring other economic and social benefits • There are choices: transport investment, pricing etc can support low carbon transport behaviour or it can entrench high carbon behaviour – and land use/transport links are critical here And if transport does not play its part other sectors will have to contribute more: business as usual for aviation would require all other sectors having to reduce emissions by up to 87% to achieve the overall 60% cut by 2050.

  5. Alternative scenarios…

  6. …produce different carbon deficits

  7. Challenges • A clear strategy for tackling transport emissions incorporating domestic as well as international action • Proper audits of emissions consequences of all policies and spending (“0-2000 tonnes” in most trunk road appraisals won’t do!) • Give proper priority for climate change in all transport measures and policies: e.g. Local Transport Plans, rail fares policies, ports • Make the choice of low carbon transport behaviour the obvious one – easier, cheaper, more convenient So transport can and must play a significant role in reducing emissions, focused on how people/goods travel, making low carbon transport more attractive, but also changing how much people travel while still maintaining quality of life

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