Transport and climate change

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Transport and climate change the challenge

• Stephen Joseph, Director

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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 wont

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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 cant/shouldnt influence
  peoples travel behaviour (the fuel protests
  etc), so any action should be confined to
  technology (cleaner fuels and vehicles)

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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 transports 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.

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Alternative scenarios
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produce different carbon deficits
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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 wont 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