ICCT report provides summary of international regulation and policies for low carbon transport

A new report from the Internatioinal Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) summarizes advances in national and international regulations intended to reduce energy use, mitigate climate change, and control air pollution from motor vehicles and fuels across eleven major vehicle markets from January 2013 through August 2014.

 

The report ('The state of clean transport policy: A 2014 synthesis of vehicle and fuel policy developments') covers eleven vehicle markets—China, the U.S., the European Union, Japan, Brazil, India, Russia, Canada, South Korea, Australia, and Mexico—which represented 85% of total vehicle sales in 2013.

 

The report quantifies benefits associated with environmental policies for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, marine vessels, aircraft, and fuels in terms of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and local air pollution, fuel savings, and benefits to public health.

 

By 2030, transport emissions are expected to increase by roughly two-thirds, to 15 GtCO2, and oil consumption to rise to 78 mbd. Based on the assessment offered in this report, total reductions from policies adopted in major markets will lower projected baseline emissions by 2.2 GtCO2 and fuel consumption by 11 mbd, equivalent to about a 13% reduction.

 

To the extent possible, it also estimates the additional benefits that could be gained through the wider adoption of best-practice policies. An expansion of best practices, it says, could reduce another 4.4 GtCO2 and 21 mbd in 2030, equivalent to a 30% and 27% reduction, respectively, in 2030.